Presented here are the notes which originally accompanied the Apocalypse of St. John originally included in the Douay-Rheims bible. These, along with most other similar footnotes, were removed by Bishop Challoner due, mainly, to tremendous opposition from the authorities in England at the time.

We can read these with considerable profit:

"The Argument of the Apocalypse of St. John

THAT which the old Testament foretold of Christ himself, the Apostles could report the fulfilling thereof in the new Testament, by way of an history, even from his Conception to his Glorification. But of his Church. they could not do the like: because in their time it did but begin: being to continue long after them, even to the end of the world. and then at length to be glorified, as Christ her Spouse already is. Hereupon God would have St. Luke to report in the Acts of the Apostles, the story of the Church’s beginning. And for the rest of it to the end, (that we might receive this benefit also by the Apostle’s hands) he would St. John to tell us of it in this book by way of a prophecy.

Of which book St. Jerome saith: The Apocalypse of St. John hath as many sacraments or mysteries, as words. Yea more than that, in every word there are hid manifold and sundry senses. Therefore it is very little that can here be noted, in respect. Yet to give the good Catholic (whose comfort is here) some little help, the book may be divided into five parts.

The first (after the Proœme (57)) containeth seven Epistles from Christ now in glory, to seven Churches of Asia, or (for, these he maketh all one) to the seven Bishops of those Churches: meaning not to those only, but to all his Churches and Bishops throughout the world: saying therefore in every one of them, to all in general: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. As also in every one he exhorteth us to fight manfully (in this spiritual warfare of ours against sin) for the victory, and in every one accordingly promiseth us a reward in heaven. But before this, in the beginning of every one, he partly commendeth, partly reprehendeth, and exhorteth to penance. Where this is much to be noted, and feared, that among so many, he reproveth somewhat in all, save only in two, which are the second and the sixth. In the beginning also of every one, he taketh some piece out of the apparition going before, to frame thereof his style agreeably to the matter of each Epistle.
After this admonition to Pastors and their flocks: the second part followeth, wherein the Church and whole course thereof from the beginning to the end, is expressed in the opening of a book in God’s hand, and the seven seals thereof, by Christ. For the which, he seeth praise sung now in heaven and earth, not only to the Godhead, as before, but also (after a new manner) to Christ according to his Manhood. And here, when he is come to the opening of the last seal, signifying Doomsday, be letteth that matter alone for a while, and to speak more fully yet of the said course of the Church, he bringeth in another pageant (as it were) of seven Angels with seven Trumpets. The effect of both the Seals and Trumpets, is this: That the Church beginning and proceeding, there should be raised against it, cruel persecutions, and pestilent heresies: and at length after all heresies, a certain most blasphemous Apostasy, being the next preparative to the coming of Antichrist. After all which, Antichrist himself in person shall appear in the time of the sixth seal, and sixth trumpet, persecuting, and seducing (for the short time of his reign) more than all before him. The Church notwithstanding shall still continue, and wade though all, because Christ her Spouse is stronger than all these adversaries, who also straight after the said sixth time, shall in the seventh, come in majesty and judge all.
Of the which judgment, deferring yet awhile to speak at large, he doth first in the third part entreat more fully of the Devil’s working by Antichrist and his company against the Church, that the justice of Christ afterward in judging, may be more manifest.
At length therefore in the fourth part he cometh to the seven last plagues, the seventh of them containing the final damnation of the whole multitude, society, or corps of the wicked, from the beginning of the world to the end. Which multitude, in the Gospel and first Epistle of this same St. John (as also in the other Scriptures commonly) is often called Mundus, the world. And here he calleth it partly, Meretricem, a whore or harlot, because with her concupiscence she enticeth the carnal and worldly men away from God: partly, Civitatem Babylon, the City of Babylon, because it maketh war against Jerusalem the City of God, and laboreth to hold God’s people captive in sin, as it was shadowed in Nabuchodonosor and his Babylonians, leading and holding the Jews with their Jerusalem, in captivity, until Cyrus (in figure of Christ) delivered them. But whether all these seven plagues should be understood (as the seventh) of Doomsday itself, it is hard to define. More like it is, that the first six are to go before Doomsday: but whether corporally and literally, (so as Moses plagued Egypt) or rather spiritually, it is more hard to define. Yet it seemeth more easy, to understand them corporally, as also the plagues wherewith Elias and his fellow shall in the time of Antichrist plague the wicked (which peradventure shall be the same last plagues), whereof we read in this book c.II.v.6. But not content to have described thus the damnation of the whole adulterous and bloody society, he doth also expressly report of their three grand Captains’ damnation, which are these, Antichrist, and his False Prophet, and the Devil himself, the author of all this mischief.
Finally, on the other side, in the fifth part he reporteth the unspeakable and everlasting glory, that the Church after all this suffering, shall by Christ her glorious Spouse be assumpted unto. And so he concludeth the book.


57 proœme: preface, prologue."

I think the whole question of the Apocapypse is fascinating!

There are many authors (even some Fathers) who believe the seven Churches are 7 periods of Church history, from the Apostle (Ephesus) until the Antichrist (Laodicea), for instance the second Church, that of Smyrna is identified with the period of the Martyrs and they say that the 10 days tribulation (2,10) are the famous 10 persecutions of the Roman Emperors.
Billot himself made a commentary of the seven Churches explaining them in this way.

I agree, Cristian. Thank you, Ken, very useful information.

Here's Fr. Berry on The Apocalypse: http://strobertbellarmine.net/books/Ber ... alypse.pdf

Berry, recall, is the author of a highly regarded treatise de ecclesia, so his expertise on the Church herself is as good as anybody's. If The Apocalypse is about the Church, which I agree it is, then Berry would be the ideal author on it. The same is true, a fortiori, of Billot.

I have been working on Fr. Berry's book on the Apocalypse for some time now. I have scanned every page, OCRed most of it, and imported it into MS-Word, and as soon as I was finished, I intended to make a PDF of it. To me, this book is one of the most important for us all today.

However, I see from the link you provided above, John, that all my work has quite simply been a total waste of my time and effort. I had no idea you had this book available.

The only possible light on this subject is that my edition is the 2nd, while yours is the 1st.

Rats...

Thank you both for posting the above information and links.

Also Christian, for mentioning the thoughts of some of the Church Fathers re: Seven Churches as the Seven Periods of Church History. Answers my question on a previous thread about the possibility of "anti-monarchies" being set up.