The new film Conclave is a psychological thriller looking at the selection of the new pope. But what is a conclave, and where did this ritual begin?

The institution of the conclave is the formal process by which a pope is elected.

As cardinals cast their secret ballots, they partake in a process that upholds the Catholic Church’s millennia-old heritage and navigates the dynamics of contemporary global power, making the conclave a powerful intersection of faith, tradition, and geopolitics.

The pope’s role is deeply rooted in both spiritual and historical significance. The pope is the successor of Saint Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s disciples, entrusted by Jesus with the leadership of the early Christian Church.

The pope serves as the sovereign of the Holy See, the central governing body of the Catholic Church, and the head of state of the Vatican City State. The Holy See holds the status of an independent state in international law and maintains diplomatic relations with other countries and organisations such as the United Nations.

Any Roman Catholic male can be elected pope. But since the Middle Ages, every pope has been selected from the College of Cardinals, the group of highest-ranking Catholic leaders.

Many of the cardinals are archbishops and bishops appointed by the pope to lead Catholic communities in their country of residence.

In the early Church, the Bishop of Rome was elected by the local clergy and laity. Over time, the clergy became the primary body responsible for the election, although the laity initially retained a degree of........

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