The longest papal election in history was not the 2013 gathering that elected Pope Francis. It was the election of 1268 to 1271 in Viterbo, Italy, which lasted two years, nine months, and two days. That grueling 34-month deadlock forced local authorities to tear the roof off the papal palace and cut cardinal rations to bread and water just to extract a decision.
The 2013 papal conclave lasted less than two full days. Cardinals cast only five ballots before electing Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio on March 13, 2013. Misinformation online frequently confuses the brief 2013 vote with historic medieval stalemates or mistranslates German news summaries that describe 2013 as a bedeutend (meaningful or significant) event. Understanding how papal elections evolved requires separating modern swift voting procedures from the brutal medieval origin of the conclave itself.
What Was the Longest Conclave in History?
The longest papal election began in November 1268 following the death of Pope Clement IV. Twenty cardinals gathered in the Italian city of Viterbo, roughly 50 miles north of Rome. The cardinalate was deadlocked between political factions: Italian cardinals who wanted a local pope and French cardinals aligned with Charles of Anjou, the King of Sicily.
For nearly three years, neither side yielded the required two-thirds majority. Frustrated by the delay, the citizens of Viterbo took drastic action in 1270. They locked the doors of the Palace of the Popes, sealing the electors inside cum clave (with a key)—the origin of the word "conclave."
When locking the doors didn't break the stalemate, town officials removed the palace roof, exposing the cardinals to the elements. Shortly after, local authorities restricted food supplies to basic bread and water. The extreme pressure worked. The exhausted cardinals delegated the choice to a committee of six electors, who rapidly selected Tebaldo Visconti, an Italian diplomat who wasn’t even a cardinal at the time. He took the name Pope Gregory X.
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| HISTORICAL TIMELINE OF PAPAL ELECTIONS |
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| 1268-1271: The Viterbo Election (Longest in History) |
| * Duration: 2 years, 9 months, 2 days (1,006 days) |
| * Result: Pope Gregory X elected; formal conclave rules created |
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| 1314-1316: The Lyon Conclave |
| * Duration: 2 years, 3 months (829 days) |
| * Result: Pope John XXII elected in Avignon Papacy era |
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| 1799-1800: The Venice Conclave |
| * Duration: 3.5 months (104 days) |
| * Result: Pope Pius VII elected during Napoleonic upheaval |
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| 2013: Modern Conclave (Pope Francis) |
| * Duration: 2 days (March 12-13, 2013) |
| * Result: Pope Francis elected on the 5th ballot |
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Why the 2013 Papal Election Was Significant
The 2013 papal election wasn't long, but it was historically significant. Several unprecedented factors set the stage for Cardinal Bergoglio's election as Pope Francis.
The First Resignation in 600 Years
Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation on February 11, 2013, citing advanced age and declining physical strength. He was the first pope to voluntarily step down since Pope Gregory XII in 1415, and the first to do so purely due to health reasons since Pope Celestine V in 1294. This created a unique situation: the cardinals were electing a successor while a retired pope was still alive.
A Rapid Two-Day Vote
Many commentators expected lengthy debates given the rare circumstances. Instead, the 115 cardinal electors reached consensus swiftly:
- March 12, 2013 (Afternoon): The conclave opened inside the Sistine Chapel. The first ballot resulted in black smoke.
- March 13, 2013 (Morning): Two morning ballots yielded no result (black smoke).
- March 13, 2013 (Afternoon): On the fifth total ballot, Cardinal Bergoglio reached the required 77-vote supermajority. White smoke appeared at 7:06 PM local time.
CONCLAVE VOTING MATRIX (2013)
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Ballot 1 (March 12, PM): Inconclusive (Black Smoke)
Ballot 2 (March 13, AM): Inconclusive (Black Smoke)
Ballot 3 (March 13, AM): Inconclusive (Black Smoke)
Ballot 4 (March 13, PM): Inconclusive (Black Smoke)
Ballots 5 (March 13, PM): Consensus Reached -> Pope Francis (White Smoke)
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Historic Papal Firsts
The election of Pope Francis established three major milestones for the Catholic Church:
- First pope from the Americas (born in Buenos Aires, Argentina).
- First Jesuit pope in the history of the Catholic Church.
- First pontiff to choose the papal name Francis, honoring Saint Francis of Assisi.
Debunking Misconceptions About Conclave Durations
Disinformation online often confuses conclave durations. Misinterpreting terms or misreading medieval dates leads to common misunderstandings about Church history.
The "Bedeutend" Translation Error
Search results sometimes connect the word bedeutend—a German adjective meaning "significant," "important," or "major"—with claims about the 2013 voting length. German news outlets like Der Spiegel and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung described 2013 as a bedeutendes Ereignis (significant event). Translating this phrase out of context makes a description of historical importance sound like a record-breaking duration.
Conclave vs. Interregnum
Another common error is confusing the total time between popes (the interregnum) with the duration of the conclave itself.
- The interregnum is the entire period from a pope's death or resignation until his successor takes office.
- The conclave refers specifically to the voting assembly locked inside the Sistine Chapel.
In 2013, the interregnum lasted 13 days (February 28 to March 13). The conclave itself lasted only 25 hours.
How Papal Conclaves Work Today
The modern conclave follows strict procedures codified by Pope John Paul II in his 1996 apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, later amended by Benedict XVI.
1. Secrecy Protocols
Electors sleep at the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse inside Vatican City and walk or ride to the Sistine Chapel daily. Vatican security sweeps both buildings for listening devices. Cardinals surrender mobile phones, tablets, and recording gear. Contact with the outside world—including internet access, newspapers, and phone calls—is strictly banned under pain of excommunication.
2. Voting Thresholds
To be elected, a candidate must secure a two-thirds supermajority of attending electors. In 2013, with 115 voting cardinals present, 77 votes were required.
3. Ballot Mechanics
Cardinals write their choice on rectangular paper inscribed with the Latin words Eligo in Summum Pontificem ("I elect as Supreme Pontiff"). Each elector carries his folded ballot up to the altar, places it on a paten (plate), and tips it into a chalice while swearing an oath.
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| ELIGO IN SUMMUM PONTIFICEM |
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| [ Elector writes name in disguise ] |
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│
▼
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| Placed on Paten -> Tipped into |
| Golden Chalice at Sistine Altar |
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│
▼
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| Scrutineers Count & Thread Ballots |
| Through the Word "Eligo" |
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4. Smoke Signals
After each session, scrutineers burn the paper ballots in a specialized stove inside the chapel.
- Black Smoke (Fumata Nera): Created by adding potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulfur to indicate no winner.
- White Smoke (Fumata Bianca): Created by burning potassium chlorate, lactose, and rosin to signal that a new pope has accepted election. Bells of St. Peter's Basilica ring alongside white smoke to confirm the result.
Common Questions About Papal Elections
What happens if a cardinal refuses to vote?
Voting is mandatory for all cardinal electors present under the age of 80. An elector cannot abstain or leave his ballot blank without violating conclave rules.
Can a non-cardinal be elected pope?
Yes. Any baptized Catholic male can theoretically be elected pope. However, cardinals have elected a candidate from outside their own college only once since 1378—when they chose Urban VI in 1378. If a non-bishop were chosen today, he would need to be ordained a bishop immediately before taking office.
Why was the Viterbo conclave so long?
Political interference from European monarchs and deep national rivalries divided the cardinalate into stubborn blocs. Because there were no fixed rules limiting the length of discussions or enforcing isolation, cardinals prolonged debates for years until local townspeople forced their hand.
How long do modern papal conclaves usually take?
Modern conclaves are brief. Since 1900, no conclave has lasted longer than five days:
- 1939 (Pius XII): 2 days (3 ballots)
- 1958 (John XXIII): 3 days (11 ballots)
- 1963 (Paul VI): 3 days (6 ballots)
- 1978 (John Paul I): 2 days (4 ballots)
- 1978 (John Paul II): 3 days (8 ballots)
- 2005 (Benedict XVI): 2 days (4 ballots)
- 2013 (Francis): 2 days (5 ballots)
Clear communication before the conclave begins during daily "general congregations" helps cardinals narrow down candidates well before they enter the Sistine Chapel.
Key Takeaways
The longest conclave in history took place in 1268–1271 in Viterbo, lasting 34 months. That standoff established the locked-door format used by the Catholic Church today. The 2013 election of Pope Francis was historically significant (bedeutend) due to Benedict XVI's unexpected resignation and the election of the first Latin American pontiff. However, the 2013 conclave itself was one of the fastest in modern history, concluding in just 25 hours. Modern communications, prep meetings, and strict voting rules ensure that long medieval deadlocks won't happen in the modern era.
