With the recent election of the new Pope, Francis I, who succeeded Benedict XVI, many questions have arisen about the conclave and everything surrounding it. That is why we are going to tell you some facts and curiosities about the assembly of cardinals that meets to elect a new Pope.
The way in which the Pope is elected has been the same since the Middle Ages, following the rites and steps established at that time and repeating them whenever a new pontiff needs to be elected.
Location of the conclave
Although it is currently held in Rome, this has not always been the case, as there have been numerous conclaves held outside the Italian city. For example, they have taken place in cities such as Naples, Lyon, and Constance, all prior to the 15th century, and in Venice in 1800 because the city of Rome was under Napoleonic occupation. It is since 1878 that they have been held uninterruptedly in the Sistine Chapel, in addition to becoming mandatory due to the reform proposed by John Paul II.
Meeting details
One of the big questions we always have when the papal conclave is about to meet is how long it will last, as it is not fixed and the highest representative of the Church may be elected in the first ballot, or, conversely, it may take weeks before someone achieves a majority of votes. Currently, the average time it takes for the cardinals to elect a new pope has been considerably reduced, but in 1268, for example, it took three years to enthrone Gregory X, after which subsequent election meetings would be called conclaves, as the electors are locked in. In contrast, the fastest election to date took place in 1503, when Julius II was elected Pontiff in a meeting lasting just 10 hours.
Finally, a curious fact about the fumata is that in order to make it black in the event that the votes have not elected a Pope, anthracene and sulfur are added to the fire; while when the new Pontiff has been elected and the fumata must be white, the mixture consists of potassium chlorate, lactose, and rosin.
Here are some of the coins that were issued: https://www.impacto.com/products/medalla-del-papa-francisco-con-colgante