Conclave Imitates Conclave

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Following several weeks of humorous remarks from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, the papal conclave is finding value in the Oscar-winning film “Conclave”. As the Catholic cardinals’ voting process to elect a new pope commences on May 7th, this movie starring Ralph Fiennes has been utilized as a training video for employees. A cleric shared with Politico that some have even watched it in the cinema. The majority of cardinals attending the voting ceremony were appointed by the late Pope Francis, meaning they wouldn’t have participated in the previous conclave. According to Politico, these cardinals find the Edward Berger film “remarkably” accurate and consider it a helpful resource, especially for the newer cardinals appointed by Francis from smaller, less well-known dioceses, as it provides insight into Vatican proceedings.

The first conclave in eight years carries enough drama for its own movie. According to an April 30 report from Euronews, Italian cardinal Angelo Becciu stepped down from the conclave due to a letter written by Pope Francis asking him not to participate following his conviction of embezzlement and financial crimes by Vatican courts in 2023. This is reminiscent of the letter in the film “Conclave” where the previous pope asks John Lithgow’s character to withdraw from the proceedings. If real-life events continue to resemble art, we might soon see our first Asian pope as Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, a liberal candidate from the global South and a potential successor to Cardinal Benitez in “Conclave,” is known for his love of karaoke. A pope who enjoys singing along to karaoke certainly seems promising!

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2025-05-07 19:05