The death of Pope Clement VI in 1268 led to quite a crisis for the Catholic Church. 17 cardinals were part of the conclave put together to choose his successor, but the group was split between two ...

Explore the fascinating history of papal conclaves, from election fraud and open bribery to riots and peculiar traditions.

Who is eligible to be elected pope? Any baptized Catholic male is eligible to be elected pope, however, traditionally the pope has been picked from within the College of Cardinals.

The longest papal conclave lasted three years—it took place following the death of Pope Clement VI, and went from November 1268 to September 1271 (33 months), until Pope Gregory X was finally ...

The oldest pope on election was Pope Clement X in 1670 at the age of 79. Clergy during the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Over the years, there has been a lot of speculation surrounding who may be in line to be the next pope.

The death of Pope Clement VI in 1268 led to quite a crisis for the Catholic Church. 17 cardinals were part of the conclave put together to choose his successor, but the group was split between two ...