How accurate is Ralph Fiennes' Conclave film as it lands on Amazon Prime Video

Irish Daily Star

24-04-2025

The Vatican announced on Easter Monday that
Pope Francis,
the Argentinian-born leader known for his progressive push to modernize the Catholic Church,
died on April 21 from a respiratory illness.
After his passing, a gathering of cardinals, the most senior officials in the church from both the Vatican and around the globe, will come together to choose a new pope through a conclave. This enigmatic process of electing a pope inspired Robert Harris's novel "Conclave" in 2016, which was adapted into an
award-winning film starring Ralph Fiennes
, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini.
The story revolves around Cardinal Lawrence, a fictional character charged with
managing the secretive conclave
. He finds himself entangled in a web of intrigue that threatens to rock the Catholic Church to its core.
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Rev. Thomas Reese, a political science Ph.D. holder from the University of
California
, Berkeley, and columnist at Religion News Service, praised the film's accuracy. "The voting procedure was done very well," said Reese.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday
(Image: Franco Origlia, Getty Images)
Reese, however, noted a substantial inaccuracy in the film's portrayal of Cardinal Vincent Benitez, played by Carlos Diehz. The character was depicted as a Cardinal in pectore, a Latin term meaning "in the heart," referring to a secret appointment, reports
the Mirror US
.
In reality, a Cardinal appointed in pectore cannot participate in a conclave unless the Pope publicly announces his name before passing away, which was not the case in the film.
As depicted in "Conclave," once a Vatican official addresses the assembled cardinals with the phrase "extra omnes," they are only allowed to interact with each other. Nevertheless, certain officials can act as messengers when necessary, even though the cardinals themselves cannot leave until a successful vote is cast.
A successful vote occurs when one cardinal receives two-thirds of the votes, resulting in their election as pope. Typically, the conclave commences 15 to 20 days after the papacy becomes vacant.
According to USA TODAY, there is no fixed schedule for the duration of the conclave.
Following the passing of Pope Francis, Irish Cardinal Kevin Farrell assumed the mantle of responsibility. After the funeral and nine days of official mourning prayers, the focus shifts to the College of Cardinals.
Only cardinals under 80 years old are eligible to vote. They travel to Rome, take an oath of secrecy, and are sequestered in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, a guesthouse within Vatican City.
Isolated from the outside world, they have no access to mobile phones or any form of communication with their homes. Their daily routine includes Mass, shared meals, and voting in the Sistine Chapel.
Each cardinal writes a name on a ballot, folds it, and places it into a chalice, all under the magnificent ceiling painted by Michelangelo. The votes are counted and then burned, with the resulting smoke signaling the result to the public - black smoke indicates "no pope yet," while white smoke announces the election of a new pope.
Sister Susan Francois, who serves as the assistant congregation leader for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in
New Jersey
, was particularly moved by the human elements of the election process depicted in the film. "While we wish and hope and pray that it is entirely a spiritual discernment process, we are only human beings," she noted.