I have long been fascinated by Baba Vanga. Her remarkable life, her prophetic visions, and the sense of mystery that surrounds her have always captured my imagination. Bulgaria, the country she called home, also holds a special place in my heart.
Over the years, I have visited many times, and with each journey, my admiration for its culture and history has only deepened. It was this connection that inspired me to create a site dedicated to Baba Vanga and her legacy. Yet she is far from the only figure in history to be associated with prophecy. Across centuries and cultures, other mystics have also claimed insight into the future.
The Ancient Sibyls
In the ancient world, the Sibyls were revered as prophetic women believed to deliver divine messages. They were actually the very first prophets I ever learned about as a child, since my grandmother spoke of them constantly. She even owned a book about the Sibyls—a book I still remember vividly but, to this day, have never been able to find again.
The most famous of them, the Cumaean Sibyl, was said to have guided the hero Aeneas into the underworld and left behind mysterious verses about the fate of nations. Their prophecies were often cryptic and symbolic, yet people sought their words for guidance for many centuries.
Nostradamus: The Master of Quatrains
Michel de Nostredame, better known to the world as Nostradamus, published his famous work Les Prophéties in 1555. Written in hundreds of cryptic four-line poems, or quatrains, his book has been studied and debated for centuries. The verses are often deliberately vague, filled with symbolism, allegory, and wordplay, which has allowed people to connect them to countless historical events long after his death.
Nostradamus is often mentioned in the same breath as Baba Vanga, as both are considered among the most influential prophets in history. His quatrains have been linked to major events such as the French Revolution, the rise of Adolf Hitler, the Great Fire of London, and even the September 11 attacks. Whether these connections are genuine foresight or clever reinterpretation remains a matter of debate, but what cannot be denied is the extraordinary impact his work continues to have.
For some, Nostradamus was a visionary who glimpsed fragments of the future. For others, he was simply a gifted writer whose ambiguous style makes his words endlessly adaptable. Either way, his legacy endures, and his name has become synonymous with prophecy itself.
John Dee: The Queen’s Mystic
John Dee was an English mathematician, astrologer, and advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. He dabbled in alchemy, angelic communication, and the search for hidden knowledge. Dee believed he could converse with angels through a system known as “Enochian language,” and his visions often touched on the fate of England and its empire. Part scholar, part mystic, he remains one of history’s most intriguing figures.
Mother Shipton: The Yorkshire Prophetess
Born in 16th-century England, Mother Shipton (Ursula Southeil) was said to have been a witch and a seer. Legends claim she predicted events like the Great Fire of London in 1666 and even the invention of iron ships. While some of her prophecies were likely written down long after her death, her name still carries the aura of a wise woman whose words echoed far beyond her time.
Edgar Cayce: The Sleeping Prophet
Edgar Cayce made his mark in the 20th century with his unique approach to visions. Entering deep trance states, he would “sleep” while giving detailed readings about health, spirituality, and even the future of the Earth itself. He predicted shifts in climate, technological advances, and spoke often about reincarnation and Atlantis. Many still follow his teachings today, especially his holistic health advice.
Sylvia Browne: A Controversial Modern Psychic
Sylvia Browne became a household name in the late 20th and early 21st century, thanks to her frequent television appearances and bestselling books. With her straightforward manner and absolute confidence, she drew in millions of followers who trusted her insights into both world events and private lives.
Her track record, however, was mixed. Some of her forecasts missed the mark entirely, while others seemed strangely close to reality. Perhaps the most debated of her predictions is the one often connected to COVID-19. In her 2008 book End of Days, she wrote of a “severe pneumonia-like illness” that would spread globally around the year 2020 and then suddenly vanish as quickly as it came. To many, this felt too specific and accurate to dismiss outright, even though skeptics point out that vague references to plagues and pandemics have long been a staple in prophecy.
Sylvia brought discussions of prophecy into mainstream living rooms, sparking both belief and criticism in equal measure.
And Many More…
From ancient oracles to modern psychics, their visions, whether seen as divine, intuitive, or symbolic, have fascinated humanity for centuries.
And while my heart will always belong to Baba Vanga and her Bulgarian legacy, it’s inspiring to remember that she is part of a much larger tapestry of prophetic voices. After all, the future has always been one of humanity’s favorite mysteries.