A short history of the conclave

After the funeral of Pope Francis, and at the end of the current period of mourning, 135 cardinals will enter a conclave on 7 May to begin the ritual to elect the next pope.

The conclave is a secretive ritual, whose air of intrigue has been deepened by popular culture. While the cardinals who attend swear not to reveal what takes place during the conclave, something of what happens inside is known, or can be logically deduced. The cardinals are asked to let God guide them in their choice, so the atmosphere is certain to be quiet enough for contemplation. But they do confer with one another, as explained by former cardinals who were part of the conclaves that elected Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. What is said, though, is never revealed.

Earlier papal elections were intertwined with local politics and complicated royal and military relationships. It was an often-chaotic process, theoretically controlled by ‘the people of Rome’ but, in reality, by the most powerful faction in the society of the day. To read more select the link:

https://melbournecatholic.org/news/a-short-history-of-the-conclave