By: Jesse Greenspan

The Papal Conclave: Surprising Facts and History

The famously secretive papal conclave, with its ceremonies and traditions, is informed by hundreds of years of history.

The procession of the Sacred College of Cardinals file into the Sistine Chapel where they will be locked inside to begin the conclave to elect a successor to Pope John Paul I.

Bettmann / Getty Images

Published: March 07, 2025

Last Updated: May 09, 2025

As spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, the pope guides millions of Roman Catholics around the world. So selecting a new pope following a pope's death or resignation is weighted with import and significance. The conclave to elect the next pope, following the death of Pope Francis, began on May 7, 2025.

Explore how previous papal conclaves dating back hundreds of years inform the process, the symbols and ceremonies.

1.

Until 2013, the papal conclave had never chosen a pope from outside Europe.

Until 2013, the so-called College of Cardinals never elected a non-European pope. Italians had been particularly well represented, holding the office without interruption from 1523 until Polish-born John Paul II broke the streak in 1978. Today, less than half of voting cardinals come from Europe, and about 75 percent of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics live elsewhere. Some 425 million are in Latin America alone. In 2013, Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected to the papacy, becoming Pope Francis—and the first pope from the Americas. Read more here.

2.

The longest papal election lasted nearly three years.

In the 13th century, cardinals meeting in the Italian town of Viterbo —at that time, papal elections took place where the last pope had died—took two years and nine months to choose a successor to Clement IV. Townspeople became so frustrated by the delay that they apparently tore the roof off the building where the cardinals were staying.

When Gregory X was finally selected in 1271, he wanted to prevent anything similar from happening again. Within a few years, he had established the conclave, a closed-door summit to be convened upon his death at which the cardinals would be locked up together until they elected a new pope. As a result of the new system’s strict rules, the first conclave lasted just one day. The rules were suspended soon after, but they were reinstated following another protracted election that took place from April 1292 to July 1294. Since 1831, no conclave has lasted longer than a week. Read more here.

3.

The shortest papal conclave took only a few hours.

The death of Pius III in 1503 led to the shortest conclave in history. Pius III had only been pope for 26 days before dying from a septic ulcer in his leg. It took the conclave only a few hours to select Giuliano della Rovere—soon to be named Pope Julius II—as the Church's new leader. During his reign, Julius II oversaw the rebuilding of St Peter’s Basilica and established the Swiss Guard. Read more here.

A painting of Pope Julius II.

Pope Julius II, circa 1512. Julius II was a patron of many Renaissance artists, including Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo.

Print Collector/Getty Images

4.

In 1378, one group of cardinals selected two different popes.

The papacy resided in Avignon, France, from 1309 until Gregory XI returned it to Rome in 1376. Upon his death two years later, angry crowds demanded an Italian successor rather than a French one who might head back to Avignon. The cardinals acquiesced, choosing Archbishop Bartolomeo Prignano, who became Urban VI. But when the new pope proved overly confrontational, calling one cardinal a half-wit and coming to blows with another, the cardinals declared the election invalid. They held a second conclave five months after the first one, deciding this time around on Clement VII. The two popes, one in Avignon and one in Rome, both claimed to be the true leader of the church, going so far as to excommunicate each other. A council held in Pisa in 1409 sought to bridge the divide, but it only succeeded in adding a third pope to the mix. Finally, at the Council of Constance in what is now Germany, all three popes either resigned or were deposed. The Western Schism, as this fiasco became known, ended with the election of Martin V in 1417.

5.

The conclave doesn’t have to be in Rome (but almost always is).

Since the end of the Western Schism, the conclave has taken place in Rome every time but once. The exception occurred in 1799-1800 following the death of Pius VI, who had been taken prisoner during the French Revolution and exiled to France. Because the French had invaded Rome, the College of Cardinals met in Venice under Austrian protection. While there it picked Pius VII, who, despite originally cooperating with Emperor Napoleon I, likewise was imprisoned in 1809. He did not gain his complete freedom until Napoleon’s fall from power five years later.

6.

Getting to the conclave used to be especially hard for American cardinals.

New York Archbishop John McCloskey, the first U.S. cardinal, did not make it to Rome in time for the 1878 papal conclave. Later U.S. cardinals had similar difficulties due to the slow transportation of the era, including Boston Archbishop William O’Connell, who narrowly missed the 1914 election. Determined not to suffer the same fate twice, O’Connell made arrangements in advance. Upon Benedict XV’s death in 1922, he flew from Boston to New York, boarded a ship to France that was held just for him, took a faster ship to Naples, jumped on an express train to Rome and then ran through the streets, only to find out that the conclave had ended. After O’Connell gave the new pope an earful, the traditional waiting period between death (or resignation) and conclave was increased from 10 to 15 days, with the option of extending it to 20. At the next conclave in 1939, O’Connell finally cast his vote.

7.

The next pope doesn’t necessarily have to be a cardinal.

There are only two requirements for becoming pope: being male and being baptized into the Catholic Church. But although this technically leaves hundreds of millions of people eligible, they shouldn’t hold their breath. A non-cardinal hasn’t been chosen since 1378, when the selection of Urban VI brought about the Western Schism.

8.

Only cardinals younger than 80 can vote.

In 1970, Paul VI limited voting at conclaves to those cardinals younger than 80, reportedly as a way of building in term limits and preventing the elderly from having to travel to Rome. Many in the over-80 crowd still show up, however, and participate in pre-conclave meetings devoted to preparatory matters and discussions about the future of the church.

9.

The cardinals’ ballots are burned after each round of voting.

The cardinals hold one vote on the first day of the conclave and fill out four ballots per day thereafter (two in the morning and two in the afternoon). If a round of voting fails to generate the required two-thirds majority, black smoke pours out of the Sistine Chapel. White smoke, on the other hand, signifies the election of a new pope, who after being dressed in white will appear on the central balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square to give his first blessing. Read more here.

10.

Using white smoke to signal a decision dates to 1914.

The practice of burning ballots dates back to at least the year 1417—and probably well before then, according to historian Frederic J. Baumgartner. But the use of white smoke to herald a new pope is a far more recent innovation. Baumgartner traces it to 1914, with the election of Pope Benedict XV. Read more here.

Vatican Conclave 2013

Black smoke rises from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City on March 12, 2013.

picture alliance via Getty Image

11.

At the inauguration, a new pope is given a special ring.

The Fisherman's Ring, also known as the Piscatory Ring, is a gold ring presented to a new pope at his inauguration. The ring features Saint Peter, a fisherman, with the new Pope's name inscribed around the image. The items represents the pope's spiritual leadership, as well as his connection to Saint Peter, who is believed to be the first pope. Read more here.

VATICAN-POPE-LAST AUDIENCE-RING

Pope Benedict XVI waving while wearing his "Fisherman's Ring" on February 27, 2013.

AFP via Getty Images

Do 900-year-old prophetic visions by Saint Malachy suggest that Pope Francis is the last in a holy line that stretches back nearly 2,000 years?

7-DAY FREE TRIAL

Commercial-free,

Cancel anytime

Stream Now

Exclusions & terms apply

Related Articles

Aerial View Of People Lined Up At Church

Here is the history behind the services and symbols of a new pope's installation.

The Vatican Swiss Guard Are Sworn In

Five facts about the world's smallest army and their time-honored traditions.

VATICAN-ITALY-US-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-RELIGION

A brutally drawn-out election in 1271 led to the formation of the secretive, secluded conclave—and quicker elections.

Santa Maria Maggiore Cathedral interior, in Rome, Italy.

These seven pontiffs left lasting legacies on the course of the Catholic Church—and world history.

About the author

Jesse Greenspan

Jesse Greenspan is a Bay Area-based freelance journalist who writes about history and the environment.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

Citation Information

Article title
The Papal Conclave: Surprising Facts and History
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
May 14, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
May 09, 2025
Original Published Date
March 07, 2025

History Revealed

Sign up for "Inside History"

Get fascinating history stories twice a week that connect the past with today’s world, plus an in-depth exploration every Friday.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

King Tut's gold mask