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Conclave

Bread and water, conclave brawls, and conclave ghosts

Some crazy papal conclaves of days gone by

Edgar Beltrán
May 08, 2025
∙ Paid

As the world watches a chimney surrounded by seagulls in the Vatican, cardinals gather in prayer and deliberation to elect a new pope.

Seagulls on May 7 surround the chimney that will announce the election of a new pope in Saint Peter’s Square. Credit: Vatican News

During the conclave, cardinals are cut off entirely from the outside world. No cell phones,…

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