Five things Conclave taught us about the process after the Pope’s death

When the movie Conclave was launched in November final yr, it felt spookily well-timed. The movie, directed by Edward Berger, primarily based on the e-book by Robert Harris and starring Ralph Fiennes, coated the papacy choice course of that goes into movement following the Pope’s dying.

Not solely was it scorching on the heels of the US election, the place political infighting and scheming have been rife, nevertheless it additionally got here as considerations across the well being of Pope Francis, who was 87 on the time, have been rising. There had been escalating worries concerning the Pope’s well being since 2023, when he confronted quite a few medical points, together with recurring bouts of influenza and the return of a bowel situation referred to as diverticulitis. He additionally underwent surgical procedure in June 2023 to deal with an stomach hernia.

Then, in February 2025, issues took a flip for the more severe. Pope Francis was hospitalised for 5 weeks on account of a life-threatening bout of pneumonia, following a respiratory tract an infection. He returned dwelling to Casa Santa Marta in Vatican Metropolis in March 2025 and was prescribed two months of relaxation following his hospital keep. However on April 21, 2025, Pope Francis died aged 88, after 12 years because the non secular chief of the Roman Catholic Church.

Now, Conclave is extra related than ever. Quickly, the School of Cardinals might be invited to the Vatican for the election course of (often called conclave) and the following Pope might be chosen. With that in thoughts, and with many certain to observe – or rewatch – the movie in anticipation of the brand new papacy, right here’s what Conclave taught us concerning the course of following the Pope’s dying.

When the fictional Pope dies in Conclave, we see as his papal ring is pried from his finger and destroyed in entrance of witnesses. It is a actual course of, based on specialists, as is the sealing of his room. However how the Pope is then delivered to a morgue is much less correct. Kurt Martens, a canon legislation professor on the Catholic College of America, instructed America Journal: “Zipping the pope’s physique up in a bag? Please!”. In actuality, the Pope’s physique is placed on public show for mourners for a number of days. Mourners might be invited to pay their respects whereas his physique stays contained in the coffin, with the lid eliminated.

As soon as the Pope dies, the brand new Pope must be chosen by the Catholic Church’s most senior officers, often called the School of Cardinals. These are all males, instantly appointed by the Pope, and there are 252 in complete. Nonetheless, solely 138 are eligible to vote for the brand new Pope, with the others being above the utmost voting age of 80 years previous. They’re sequestered because the election course of takes place, which entails steady voting till a two-thirds majority is reached. The method can take a number of days, although in earlier centuries, voting has gone on for weeks or months. Some cardinals have even died throughout conclaves.

In Conclave, black smoke may be seen emanating from the copper chimney of the Sistine Chapel because the cardinals determine on the way forward for the papacy. When a brand new Pope is lastly chosen, the smoke turns white, and crowds may be heard celebrating the choice. That is correct, and the smoke comes partly from burning the cardinals’ poll papers in a particular range within the chapel. However to color it white or black, it’s combined with chemical components, burnt in a second range. Again within the day, the Vatican produced the completely different colors by burning moist straw for white and tarry pitch for black.

Two of the foremost fictional contenders for the papal throne in Conclave give speeches close to the start of the movie, serving to to sway the cardinals. That is correct. In line with specialists (and as per precise cardinals), our final two papal elections have been strongly influenced by the remarks of two cardinals. Writing for Benedictine School within the US, Catholicism knowledgeable Tom Hoopes defined: “Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s homily about friendship with Jesus Christ helped him turn out to be Pope Benedict XVI, and Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio’s remarks about evangelisation gave us Pope Francis.”

In Conclave, the drama of choosing a brand new Pope is hammed up with accusations of cardinals breaking their oaths: having intercourse, having kids, and even blackmail. Steven P. Millies, the director of the Bernardin Middle at Catholic Theological Union, instructed CNN that there’s certainly some “cautious coalition-building” in the course of the interval of conclave. “A conclave is a political occasion in one of the best sense of politics — it’s a considerate, even prayerful consideration of a group’s future,” he stated. “The ‘politicking’ doesn’t deny the involvement of the Holy Spirit (it doesn’t assure it both, after all). Whether or not the Spirit is heeded is as much as the cardinals. However the Spirit is current, and the vote-counting is a essential a part of the method.”