12. And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of tho moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was darkened and the day did not shine for a third part of it, and the night in like manner.
13. And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth: by reason of the rest of the voices of the three angels, who are yet to sound the trumpet.
8. At the sound of the second trumpet a burning mountain, or volcano, is hurled into the sea thereby changing a third part of the waters to blood. In Holy Scripture a mountain symbolizes a powerful nation or government. [1] As usual the sea represents human society. The vision shows that despite the preaching of the Gospel some great nation will bring war and blood shed upon a large portion of mankind. It also predicts great persecutions against the Church. Nations will seek to destroy the Church at all hazards. This double interpretation is fully confirmed by the history of the past and present.
9. The fish are the faithful scattered amongst the people of the world. The ships are churches of the various nations. In the early ages the fish was a common symbol of Christ and of the faithful, as the ship was a
- ↑ Cf. Jeremias li, 25; Zacharias iv, 7.
