Rome on Rosh Hodesh Nissan, '73

A few weeks ago, I quoted the Zohar Vayera 119a:

בְּשַׁבְעִין וּתְלָת, כָּל מַלְכֵי עָלְמָא יִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן לְגוֹ קַרְתָּא רַבְּתָא דְּרוֹמִי, וְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִתְעַר עָלַיְהוּ אֶשָּׂא וּבַרְדָּא וְאַבְנֵי אֶלְגָּבִישׁ וְיִתְאַבְּדוּן מֵעָלְמָא

In '73, all the kings [i.e., people in positions of power] of the world will gather into the great city of Rome, and the Holy One, blessed be He will arouse upon them fire, hail, and stones of Elgavish, and they will be destroyed from the world.

...which, as the Zohar continues, is followed by the appearance of Mashiah in the world.

Today, Rosh Hodesh Nissan, 5773:

Conclave to elect new Pope begins in Rome

The 115 cardinals tasked with electing a new pope have been locked in the Sistine Chapel, marking the start of conclave in Rome on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in another sign of bad news for Edom:

Number of dead pigs pulled from China river now nearly 6,000


See Rabbeinu Tam in Rosh Hashana 27a, s.v. כמאן מצלינן to see why the date of Rosh Hodesh Nissan is significant.  Alternatively, בשבעין ותלת implies smack in the middle of the year, which is Rosh Hodesh Nissan.

בניסן נגאלו ובניסן עתידין להגאל