A papal conclave is a crucial event in the Catholic Church that occurs whenever the papacy becomes vacant. The conclave itself is the process by which the College of Cardinals gathers to elect a new pope.
The election is conducted in strict secrecy and under specific, centuries-old procedures, which have evolved over time to ensure its integrity and fairness.
The papacy becomes vacant under two primary conditions: The death of the pope or his resignation. The most recent example of the latter occurred in 2013 when Pope Benedict XVI resigned.
Both the movie “Conclave” (it has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture) and Pope Francis’ poor health (he remains in a Rome hospital for over two weeks with pneumonia) have fueled talk of a real papal conclave and all the intrigue that comes with it.
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