The leaders of the Reformation (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli etc.) from their study of the Bible came to regard the papacy as the Antichrist -- the word meaning "in the place of Christ," the ultimate enemy of Christ. Their objection to the papacy was really the foundation for their leaving the institution (they had all been Catholics, and all but Calvin had been priests as well), even more foundational perhaps than their famous objection to doctrine that brought about the Protestant watchwords, the "solas: -- "Faith alone in Christ alone through grace alone by Scripture alone" As opposed to the RCC's man-made traditions, including the "infallible" Pope's decrees.
Most Christians are looking for THE Antichrist, understood to be a figure who is to appear at the end of time (which a lot of us believe is very close), and don't consider the papacy to be Antichrist as did the Reformers. As I've been learning over the last couple of years this is a big mistake. The Reformers knew what they were talking about.
Whether any given Pope is going to be the final Antichrist -- or the False Prophet, who is servant to the Antichrist -- is probably less important than understanding from scripture that the institution of the papacy itself fits the portrait.
Pope Francis seems to be knocking himself out ingratiating himself with everyone in the world, and in the process throwing aside a lot of Biblical doctrine, especially anything about sin, as if nobody needs to repent of sin any more to qualify for salvation, or have any regard for Christ either. If this is setting him up for some special role in the end days, time will tell.
Edited by Faith, : No reason given.