Centuries ago the Catholic Church faced an unbelievable wait for a new Pope: Here’s the reason why

On Wednesday, May 7, 133 cardinals will gather in the Vatican to begin the momentous process of voting for the new Pope.

The death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday has left the Catholic Church, and it’s 1.6 billion followers, without a permanent leader. A two-thirds majority of the cardinals is needed to officially select a new Pope and the process could take days, or even weeks if no clear frontrunner emerges.

The process is known as the Papal conclave and it follows a stringent order. The first day will see one vote held, with two further votes held in each of the two following days if no winner has been found. After those three days, a one-day break is permitted but this process will continue for as long as it takes to find a new leader. Sometimes, it takes a very longer time.

The longest Papal conclave in history

The most recent Papal conclave, which selected Pope Francis in two days in 2013, was a relatively short one by historic standards. Eight centuries earlier, cardinals needed close to three years to select the next Pope.

The death of Pope Clement IV in 1268 came against the backdrop of political instability in Rome, which saw the conclave moved to Viterbo, around 50 miles north. At the time the Catholic Church was effectively divided into to factions, the French (Guelphs) and the pro-German (Ghibellines).

With the cardinals unable, or unwilling, to find compromise local leaders resorted to unusual methods to force a decision. Food was rationed, the windows were gradually walled up and the roof was partially dismantled, making conditions increasingly uncomfortable for the cardinals.

Finally on September 1, 1271 the Archbishop of Lyon, Teobaldo Visconti was officially elected as the new leader, taking the name Pope Gregory X. The process had taken an astonishing 1,006 days. Annoyingly, he died less than five years later and the Catholic Church was once again forced to search for a new leader.

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