
How many days and votes does it take to elect a pope? History offers some clues
VATICAN CITY (AP) — How long does it take to choose a pope?
It's hard to say precisely, since the Vatican doesn't publish official data on the number of votes or tallies in past conclaves, and sources compiling their own data are not in complete agreement.
But historical figures provide a few clues.
The longest conclave since the 20th century took 14 rounds of balloting across five days, ending with the election of Pius XI in 1922. The shortest was the conclave that elected Pius XII in 1939, which took three ballots in two days.
Cardinals must reach a two-thirds majority to elect a pope. That was somewhat easier in conclaves past: In 1922 there were just 53 voting cardinals, and until 1978 there were fewer than 100 each time. This year there are 133, so 89 votes are needed.
Here's a look at the duration of conclaves in recent history, according to multiple sources including Catholic and other Italian publications:
– 1914: Benedict XV: 10 ballots, 3 days
– 1922: Pius XI: 14 ballots, 5 days
– 1939: Pius XII: 3 ballots, 2 days
– 1958: John XXIII: 11 ballots, 4 days
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
– 1963: Paul VI: 5 or 6 ballots, 3 days
– 1978: John Paul I: 4 ballots, 2 days
– 1978: John Paul II: 8 ballots, 3 days
– 2005: Benedict XVI: 4 ballots, 2 days
– 2013: Francis: 5 ballots, 2 days

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Toronto Star
14 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Israel deports Greta Thunberg after Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized
JERUSALEM (AP) — Activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel on Tuesday, the country's Foreign Ministry said, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. Thunberg left on a flight to France and was then headed to her home country of Sweden, Israel's Foreign Ministry said in a post on X. It posted a photo of Thunberg, who shuns air travel, seated on a plane. Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on the Madleen, a ship carrying aid to Gaza that was meant to protest Israel's ongoing war there and shed light on the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group behind the journey. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Israeli naval forces seized the boat without incident early Monday about 200 kilometers (125 miles) off of Gaza's coast, according to the coalition, which along with rights groups, said Israel's actions were a violation of international law. Israel rejects that charge because it says such ships intend to breach what it says is a lawful naval blockade of Gaza. The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in the Israeli port of Ashdod Monday evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing the activists, said Thunberg, two other activists and a journalist had agreed to be deported and leave Israel. The other eight activists refused deportation, were being held in detention and their case was set to be heard by Israeli authorities, Adalah said. The activists were expected to be brought before a court later Tuesday, the group added. Sabine Haddad, a spokeswoman for Israel's Interior Ministry, said the activists who were being deported Tuesday had waived their right to appear before a judge. Those who did not will face one and will be held for 96 hours before being deported. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. It was not immediately clear whether she was being immediately deported or detained. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday that one of the detained French activists signed an expulsion order and will leave Israel on Tuesday for France. The other five refused. He said all the activists received consular visits. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW On Monday, Adalah, the rights group, said that Israel had 'no legal authority' to take over the ship, because the group said it was in international waters and it was headed not to Israel but to the 'territorial waters of the state of Palestine.' Amnesty International said Israel was flouting international law with the naval raid and called on Israel to release the activists immediately and unconditionally. 'The arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law,' Adalah said in a statement. Israel viewed the ship as a publicity stunt, calling it the 'selfie yacht.' Israeli officials said that the flotilla was bringing 'meager' aid with what amounted to less than a truckload of goods. ___ Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris and Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at


Toronto Star
42 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Russian drone and missile attack, one of the biggest in the war, kills 2 and wounds 13 in Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia sent waves of drones and missiles in an attack on two Ukrainian cities early Tuesday that killed two people and wounded at least thirteen others, Ukrainian officials said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an online statement called the attack 'one of the biggest' in the war that has raged for over three years, saying Moscow's forces fired over 315 drones, mostly Shaheds, and seven missiles at Ukraine overnight.


Toronto Star
43 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Israel says Greta Thunberg has been deported after Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized
JERUSALEM (AP) — Activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel Tuesday, the country's Foreign Ministry said, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. In a post on X, the Foreign Ministry shared a photo of Thunberg on a plane, saying she had departed Israel and was headed to France before continuing on to Sweden.