
White smoke and dark secrets: How Catholic cardinals choose a new pope
Deep inside the Sistine Chapel cardinals are casting secret ballots, in a process shrouded in secrecy and tradition. But in the Vatican of 2025, even ancient rites come wrapped in modern convention and controversy.
So how is a modern pope elected?
Why are phones confiscated?
Who really pulls the strings?
And who is the cardinal who has been banned from Conclave?
Kevin Doyle is joined by journalist Sarah MacDonald and Michael Kelly (Director of Public Affairs for Aid to the Church in Need) to look at an election where faith and political intrigue collide.

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BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
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Ralph Fiennes felt ‘flattered' when he learned Pope Leo XIV had watched Conclave
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Daily Mail
6 days ago
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Conclave author reveals Ralph Fiennes was third choice for lead role in Oscar nominated film - behind two other A-list Hollywood actors
His acclaimed performance as a liberal cardinal in Conclave secured him an Oscar nomination – but Ralph Fiennes was not the first choice for the part. Both Hollywood legend Robert de Niro and Spanish star Javier Bardem were in line to take the lead role, author Robert Harris has revealed. But negotiations with both actors' representative broke down, opening the way for 62-year-old Fiennes. His casting also meant a change to his character. In Harris's original 2016 novel, the dean of the council of cardinals was an Italian called Jacopo Baldassare Lomeli. But once Fiennes was cast, he became the English Cardinal Thomas Lawrence. The author told the Hay-on-Wye literary festival: 'For a long time, Robert De Niro was supposed to play the Fiennes role, but that fell through, and then Javier Bardem was supposed to do it.' But again a deal could not be struck, so producers turned to Fiennes, best known for playing evil Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter blockbusters and M in the Bond films. It was Fiennes and director Edward Berger who decided to change the character's nationality, Harris revealed. 'They came to lunch and told me they wanted to change the nationality of Cardinal Lomeli, because Ralph wanted to play an Englishman. I looked across the table and thought, ''Do I really want to lose Ralph Fiennes?'' And of course, it doesn't make any difference at all.' Harris – whose other bestselling novels include Fatherland and Enigma – also told the Hay audience that film producers had been circling around his novel before he had finished writing it. But after the initial clamour, the executives decided to hold back the film's release – which turned out to be fortuitous as it ended up in cinemas just before the real Vatican conclave to select Pope Francis's successor. Harris, 68, said: 'They sat on it for a year to prevent it being swamped by other films, which was a stroke of genius as it got a lot of attention. There was this rolling interest in conclaves, and I found myself peculiarly having written a primer on conclaves.' Among those who watched the film this year was American Cardinal Robert Prevost, who saw it just before the conclave voted him to become Pope, subsequently taking the name Leo XIV. Conclave, which also starred Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini, was nominated for eight Academy Awards, but secured only the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for Peter Straughan's script. Two Oscar voters later told trade magazine Variety that they hadn't backed Fiennes as they wrongly believed he had won the award before.


Telegraph
30-05-2025
- Telegraph
Robert Harris: Why Conclave should have elected an older pope
The author of Conclave has joked that he wishes cardinals had chosen an older pope to increase his chances of seeing another round of revived popularity in his book. Robert Harris said Pope Francis's death had elevated him from a journalist into an unlikely papal commentator who was regularly called in to offer expert insight. His novel Conclave, first published in 2016, also rode a wave of popularity on the back of its recent film adaptation. The 68-year-old told the Hay Festival: 'From my point of view it would have been better if the Conclave had gone on for one or two more days and if they had elected an older pope because I feel as though I have written a Christmas number one which will keep coming back. 'We will have to wait until the next Conclave which may be after my time.' He added: 'I feel like I have suddenly become a most unlikely expert on the papacy, not a role I really ever expected to play. 'But now we can all move on.' The author praised Peter Straughan, whose screenwriting credits include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, for a 'brilliant adaptation' released to critical acclaim in 2024. 'He kept a lot of the dialogue, characters and story, but he boiled it down and kept what was best – he did a terrific job,' Mr Harris said, adding that director Edward Berger was 'wonderful'. Mr Harris said Robert De Niro and Javier Bardem had been pegged for the role of Cardinal Lawrence before Ralph Fiennes was chosen. 'That speech that he delivers – 'there will be no need for faith' – is just so brilliantly done,' the author said of Mr Fiennes, revealing that the actor and director had asked to change the character's nationality from Spanish to English. 'I looked across the table and I thought do I really want to lose Ralph Fiennes? No, make him English it won't make any difference. And of course it doesn't make any difference at all,' the author said. Looking back at the revival of interest in his book, he said: 'I found myself peculiarly having written a sort of primer. 'So much so that the new pope watched the Conclave movie on the eve of the Conclave so that he knew what was coming.' Pope Leo XIV watched the film to 'know how to behave', according to his brother. John Prevost, 71, who lives in Chicago, told news reporters that he had asked his brother as a joke whether he had watched the film, and the future pope confirmed he had. 'His brother is one of those great brothers who clearly just blurts out anything,' Mr Harris said, adding: 'He could be a source of great amusement in the years to come.'