How Accurate Is "Conclave"? Unveiling the Truth Behind Selecting a New Pope

The demise of Pope Francis at 88 years old has brought fresh focus to Conclave , which took place within the insular environment of the Vatican durante The procedure for selecting a new Pope.

As reported on Tuesday, the statistics have been released, The viewership of the movie increased by 283% after the announcement of the Pope’s passing.

In Edward Berger’s version of a Robert Harris Based on a screenplay crafted by Oscar-winning writer Peter Straughan, this novel portrays the selection of a new Pope as an intensely gossipy event characterized by internal conflicts and strategic politicking among cardinals vying for authority and advantage over one another.

While the film is by no means a documentary, it did set out to recreate a real Papal Conclave as accurately as possible. However, the caveat here is that very little is known about the true inner workings of a conclave, as participants must take a vow of secrecy.

We do know that the overall logistics shown in the film are broadly accurate. We see cardinals played by the likes of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithargo reside, dine (along with vaping) together at the Casa Santa Marta, a lodging facility within the Vatican City premises. While the guesthouse depicted in the film was constructed as a set piece, the real-life cardinals will be sequestered there from the beginning of May.

The voting process, which takes place within the Sistine Chapel , is also accurately shown. Cardinals will write down the name of their vote for the next Pope, and then place those votes in a sealed container. Once the votes have been totaled, an official will read them aloud. If a two-thirds majority is not reached, they will be burned with an additive that produces black smoke. It is only when a decision has been reached that the additive will not be used, and the smoke will burn white to announce that a new Pope has been selected.

One major difference between the process as shown in the film and reality is that the role played by Ralph Fiennes In the movie, ' character Cardinal Lawrence combines two actual roles. As the camerlengo, he assumes control of the Holy See, which oversees the governance. Catholic Church And following the Pope’s demise, he appears as the dean of the College of Cardinals, responsible for overseeing the election of the next Pope.

Actually, the camerlengo is Cardinal Kevin Farrell. Born in Ireland but an American citizen, Cardinal Farrell had the duty of declaring the pope's death. Pope Francis , locking up the papal apartments and destroying the pontiff's Fisherman’s Ring, signaling that there is currently a void in leadership at the Vatican. In reality, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, an Italian who serves as the Dean of the College of Cardinals, will manage the convening of the conclave. Additionally, he will pose the question regarding the chosen papal name to the newly elected pope, similar to how it was portrayed with Fiennes' character, Cardinal Lawrence, in the movie.

A significant mistake in the movie is the portrayal of a "cardinal in pectore" participating in the conclave. A "cardinal in pectore" refers to a cardinal appointed secretly by the Pope, a situation that could indeed occur in real life. Unlike how Cardinal Vincent Benitez (portrayed by Carlos Díez) appears to play an essential role in this process, Conclave A concealed cardinal would be ineligible to take part in the papal succession process.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last year, Conclave director Berger explained that he spoke to cardinals who had been involved in conclaves about general details, and also hired a religious advisor, but did not approach the Vatican directly. “That’s a senseless approach,” said Berger. “First, they won’t help you, and secondly, they shouldn’t.”

How to watch Conclave.

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