Before Pope Francis died April 21 at the age of 88, this writer watched 'Conclave,' the papal drama starring Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini. While some bristled at the plot twist at the end, this writer enjoyed the movie and found it a fairly accurate glimpse into the secretive, ancient tradition that pics the next Holy Roman Pontiff.

Now, a thread citing 'Church insiders' provides background on how this real-life conclave played out, and it's just as dramatic as a Hollywood film.

Bergoglio was Pope Francis' birth name, for those unaware, and he had his supporters.

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The rotating electors shuffled in-and-out of the apartment of the 76-year-old Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, who was one of 133 men that would soon be voting for the next leader of the Catholic Church.

And some more history:

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But the week before the conclave, the residence was the headquarters of an organized operation aimed at blocking Francis’ wing of the Church from reclaiming the papacy.

That's very good news.

For a while, Burke was a possibility (although, up until last week, this writer would've never believed an American would be elected Pope).

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Conservatives were talking amongst themselves as early as December 2024—when Francis elevated 21 bishops to the College of Cardinals, including 20 cardinal-electors—about how they would approach a future conclave. The conversations intensified when Francis was hospitalized with pneumonia two months later.

It was clear Pope Francis had stacked the deck against someone like Benedict XVI coming back into papal power.

This writer created his obituary draft on February 18, because it seemed that grim.

This writer's son was in Rome for Easter and took some of the last video and pics of Pope Francis. It's still surreal, almost a month later.

This next one is important:

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... divisions within the Church and synodality (the process of democratizing the Church’s mission by including the input of priests, bishops and lay people).

Cardinals in attendance disagreed on how to prioritize and approach these issues, and the differences were just as diverse among geographical lines as they were ideological.

It's far more complex than Left versus Right.

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The liberal-leaning coalition knew the numbers worked to its advantage and saw an opportunity to install a pope that aligned with its vision of the Church. But who? 

Cardinal Pietro Parolin was seen as the front-runner, but some cardinals saw viable replacements. Malta’s Mario Grech was floated as a more progressive option; Jean-Marc Aveline of France was proposed as a candidate that would continue Francis’ legacy but didn’t come with the same baggage as Parolin; Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle of the Philippines was seen as an exciting pick that could bring enthusiasm to younger Catholics and extend the Church’s reach into Asia.

Tagle would've been a terrible choice.

The African cardinal-electors are very, very conservative. They raised a stink over Fiducia supplicans, the papal document issued by Pope Francis regarding same-sex blessings.

Divide and conquer.

Italy has ruled the papacy for a long time.

But, as stated above, he had baggage.

What this writer wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall.

The Chinese agreement is problematic. It gives the communist government control over the Church and turns a blind eye to the persecution of Catholics.

Cardinal Dolan is the unsung dealmaker of the Conclave.

Which is why this writer was genuinely stunned when an American was elected.

'Could not be viewed as being too American' -- Cardinal Prevost, who is also a naturalized citizen of Peru -- fit that bill.

But Farrell had ties to disgraced Cardinal McCarrick, who was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019.

Prevost became the American's preferred candidate.

Let the deal-making begin.

This writer is fond of Dolan, and not just because he was once her archbishop.

This is where it gets really interesting.

So from the first ballot, it was a two-horse race.

And the second ballot didn't help Parolin.

And then, by the fourth ballot ... Cardinal Prevost knew he was the one.

Imagine the weight of that moment.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

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