The conclave will begin in the Vatican tomorrow, on the morning of May 7. During it, the cardinals will elect a new pope, and white smoke will appear from the Sistine Chapel to announce the election.

The longest conclave in history

The longest conclave in history lasted 1,006 days (1268–1271). After Pope Clement IV's death, the cardinals in Viterbo, Italy, could not agree on the election of a new leader. The election dragged on for 2 years and 9 months, becoming the longest conclave on record.

The Council of Cardinals was divided between Italian and French factions. King Louis IX of France and King Charles I of Sicily tried to influence the decision. The process was extremely complicated since no clear rules governing papal elections existed.

The people of Viterbo fed up with the city's power vacuum, resorted to radical measures. They locked the cardinals in the palace, limiting their food to bread and water. In addition, they demolished part of the palace roof so that rain and sun would "stimulate" their decision-making.

As a result, in 1271, Teobald Visconti was elected pope and took the name Gregory X. His election was unique since he was not a cardinal but a senior deacon of Liège. At the time of the election, he was not in the conclave but was in the Holy Land, participating in the Ninth Crusade.

Theobald Visconti was seen as a compromise candidate. Not being a cardinal, he was not involved in the internal conflicts of the conclave. His spiritual and diplomatic experience, as well as his participation in the Crusades, emphasized his devotion to the church's affairs. He was perceived as impartial and pious, capable of uniting the divided cardinals.