How long has it been for a meeting? Facts about the secret vote of the election of the pope – the country
The film's “conclusion” may have allowed moviegoers to introduce spectacular rituals and dramas of modern conferences, but the regular votes for electing the new pope have passed for centuries and created the entire historical trivia.
Here are some facts about the past, from historical studies, including Miles Pattenden's “Election of Early Popes in Modern Italy, 1450-1700” and interviewed by experts including Elena Cangiano, an archaeologist at Viterbo Palazzo dei dei Papi (Palazzo) in the Papi.
The longest meeting in history
In the 13th century, it took nearly three years (1,006 days to be exact) to choose the successor of Pope Clement IV, making it the longest convention in the history of the Catholic Church. This is also where the term principal comes from “lock and key” because it took a long time for the cardinal who met in Viterbo, north of Rome, and the frustrated citizens of the town locked them in their rooms.
The secret vote for elected Pope Gregory X lasted from November 1268 to September 1271. This is the first example of a “compromising” pope election, after a long struggle between two major geopolitical medieval factions – those loyal to Paps and those who supported the Holy Roman Empire.
“One meal a day” rule
Gregory X is only elected after Viterbo residents tear off the roof and confine it to the bread and water to apply pressure to conclusions. To avoid duplication, Gregory X ordered in 1274 that if the meeting extended for more than three days, the Cardinal would only receive “one meal per day” and if it exceeded eight, there would only be “bread, water and wine”. This restriction has been removed.
The shortest meeting ever
Before 1274, sometimes the Pope died with his predecessor. After that, however, the church decided to wait at least 10 days before the first vote. Later, this situation was extended to 15 days to give all Cardinals to Rome. According to Vatican historian Ambrogio Piazzoni, the fastest meeting to observe the 10-day waiting rule appears to be the 1503 election of Pope Julius II, who was elected in just a few hours. Most recently, Pope Francis was elected for the fifth vote in 2013, Benedict XVI won the fourth victory in 2005, and Pope Pius XII won the third match in 1939.
The first meeting of Sistine Church
The first meeting held under the ceiling of Michelangelo's fresco was in 1492. Since 1878, the world-renowned church has become a venue for all conferences. “Everything is beneficial to the awareness of God's existence, and everyone will be judged,” St. John Paul II wrote in a 1996 document. The Cardinal slept near the nearby Domus Santa Marta hotel or nearby residence.
Alternative location
Most of the conclusions were held in Rome, some of which took place outside the Vatican walls. Four were held in the Pauline Chapel at the Pope's residence in Quirinale Palace, while another 30 were held in St. John John Resteran Basilica, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva or elsewhere in Rome. They occurred 15 times outside Rome and the Vatican, including Viterbo, Perugia, Arezzo and Wenice in Italy, as well as Konstanz in Germany and Lyon in France.
Alternative Pope or trans Pope
In 1378-1417, historians call Western divisions, claimants with rivals. The split produced multiple contenders of the pope, the so-called anti-domination, which made the Catholic Church nearly 40 years. The most prominent anti-plants during Western division were Clement VII, Benedict XII, Alexander V and John XXIII. The split was eventually settled by the Constance Council in 1417, which led to the widely accepted election of Pope Martin V.
Challenges to personal hygiene
The secret nature of the meeting presents another challenge to the Cardinal: Stay healthy. Prior to the Domus Santa Marta hotel built in 1996, cardinal voters slept in the crib in the room connected to Sistine Chapel. According to historian Miles Pattenden, the conclusions in the 16th and 17th centuries were described as “disgusting” and “a strong smell”, which is a concern about disease outbreaks, especially in the summer. “Cardins only need to live in a more conventional and comfortable way of life because they are elderly people, many of whom suffer from quite advanced diseases,” Pattenden wrote. These problems are further exacerbated by the enclosed space and lack of ventilation. Some electors often take patients seriously.
Initially, the pope election was not a secret, but concerns about political intervention soared during Vettelbo's longest meeting. Gregory X ordered the cardinal voters to be “cum clave” (with keys) until a new pope was selected. The purpose is to create a completely secluded environment in which the cardinals can focus on their tasks under the guidance of God’s will without any political intervention or distraction. Over the past few centuries, various popes have modified and strengthened the rules surrounding the conference, emphasizing the importance of confidentiality.
The youngest pope, the oldest pope
Pope John XII was only 18 years old when he was elected in 955. The oldest pope is Pope Celestin III (elected in 1191), while Celestine V (elected in 1294), both of them are nearly 85 years old. Benedict XVI was elected in 2005 at 78.
Non-Overseas Popes and Non-Italian Popes
The Pope does not need to be a cardinal, but this has been the case for centuries. In 1378, the last time the Pope was elected was not a cardinal. He was a monk and archbishop of Barry. Despite the centuries of Italians' bondage to the Pope, there are many exceptions besides John Paul II (Poland in 1978) and Benedict XVI (Germany in 2005) and Francis (Argentina in 2013). Alexander VI was elected in 1492 and was a Spanish man. Gregory III was elected in 731 and is a Syrian person. Adrian VI was elected in 1522 and is from the Netherlands.
& Copy 2025 Canadian Press
