Cardinals Watching “Conclave” For Conclave?

In the wake of the Pope’s death, there was an understandable surge in viewership for Edward Berger’s Best Picture Oscar-nominated film “Conclave” on streaming services. It turns out, some of those may well have been the upper echelons of the Catholic clergy.

One hundred and thirty-three high-ranking clerics have entered the Sistine Chapel to participate in the real-life conclave starting today. A new article at Politico alleges that some may have looked to the Ralph Fiennes-led film as a “useful primer”.

A cleric involved in the actual event says “some have watched it in the cinema”. They add that the film is seen as remarkably accurate, even by cardinals, which has apparently made it a helpful research tool.

Many of the current conclave’s participants have little experience of Vatican politics and protocol, this marking their first conclave and many hailing from small, previously overlooked dioceses across the globe.

Pre-conclave lobbying has already reportedly been hit by scandal with Vatican insiders leaking anonymous barbs against rivals to the Italian press. Allegations of abuse and financial fraud have also emerged.

In the film, Fiennes Cardinal Thomas Lawrence is the pope-appointed steward of the conclave – dealing with fractious clerics, the emergence of scandalous dossiers on papal favorites and the appearance of an unknown candidate from an obscure diocese. The film was released four months before Pope Francis’ death on April 21st.

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