Additional Coverage:
Papal Conclaves: From Fistfights to White Smoke
The current papal conclave is underway, with cardinals sequestered in the Vatican to elect Pope Francis’s successor. While we anticipate a smooth transition, the history of papal elections isn’t without its dramatic moments. One particularly notable instance occurred over four centuries ago.
In 1605, the conclave tasked with selecting a new pope descended into chaos. The cardinals, deeply divided between scholar Cesare Baronius and ex-military man Domenico Tosco, resorted to fisticuffs.
The resulting melee was so intense that the commotion could be heard outside the conclave. One elderly cardinal, Visconti, even suffered multiple fractures – the only recorded injury in conclave history.
Ultimately, neither frontrunner secured the papacy. Instead, a compromise candidate, Cardinal Camillo Borghese (later Pope Paul V), emerged victorious.
Author Frederic J. Baumgartner, in his book “Behind Locked Doors: A History of the Papal Elections”, described the 1605 incident as unique in its level of violence. While minor disagreements have occurred in other conclaves, Baumgartner notes that physical altercations are rare, largely due to the advanced age of the participants.
Interestingly, the tumultuous 1605 conclave followed closely on the heels of another that same year, which elected Pope Leo XI, whose reign was tragically cut short by illness.
Today’s conclave follows a strict protocol. The 133 cardinal electors, all under 80 years old, are isolated in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, cut off from all outside communication.
They will cast ballots, twice daily, until a candidate receives a two-thirds plus one majority. Black smoke signals an unsuccessful vote, while white smoke heralds the election of a new pope.