The death of Pope Francis Monday at the age of 88 has set into motion the process of selecting a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, a ritual that has remained largely unchanged for centuries.
The secretive process, known as the papal conclave, was depicted in a 2024 movie of the same name, "Conclave," that earned eight Oscar nominations and one win, for best adapted screenplay.
The movie – starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini – is based on the 2016 bestselling novel of the same name by Robert Harris and offers an inside look as cardinals from around the world gather inside the Sistine Chapel to cast their ballots for the next pope.
Though "Conclave" has a shocking ending that has never occurred during any of the more than 260 previous real-life papal conclaves, there is some truth in its depiction of the secretive rituals and politicking that happen inside the Roman Catholic Church following the death of a pope.
The movie is getting renewed attention now following Pope Francis' death as the world's eyes turn to Vatican City and the election of a new pope.
Here is what to know about fact vs. fiction in the movie "Conclave."
The gathering of cardinals for the conclave typically commences between 15 to 20 days after the pope's death. The conclave includes all cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to participate.
Review: Ralph Fiennes delivers a master class in acting in 'Conclave'Once in Rome, the cardinals spend their time housed in private rooms in the Domus Marthae Sanctae, which is a residence hotel in the Vatican with dining facilities that usually house visiting clergy and laity. Per tradition, the cardinals are cut off from the outside world, including televisions, phones, computers and newspapers.
The College of Cardinals will cast as many as four ballots in a single day for the next pope, with a two-thirds majority required to elect a pontiff. After each vote, the ballots are burned and smoke is released from the Sistine Chapel's chimney as a signal to the throngs holding vigil in St. Peter's Square.
Black smoke – fumata nera in Italian – indicates an inconclusive vote, while white smoke – fumata bianca – will signify that a new pope has been elected. If three days pass with no pope elected, voting can be suspended for a day to allow the cardinals time for reflection before the next round of ballots are cast.
Once the College of Cardinals elects a new pope, the candidate is formally asked in the Sistine Chapel if he accepts the election and, if so, to choose his papal name. While popes have the option of keeping their baptismal name, every pope for the last 470 years has chosen to change his name, usually to honor a predecessor and to signal their intention to emulate his example.
The interregnum ends when the newly elected pope makes his first public appearance in his new role, stepping onto the central balcony at St. Peter's Basilica, overlooking St. Peter's Square, to bless the gathered crowd there after being introduced by the senior cardinal deacon with the traditional declaration "Habemus papum" – Latin for "We have a pope."
In the film 'Conclave,' Isabella Rossellini portrays Sister Agnes, the only female in the otherwise all-male conclave. In reality, only men participate in the conclave.
Pope Francis, everyman leader of the Roman Catholic Church, dies at 88Per Catholic doctrine, only males are allowed to be priests, who can then go on to be cardinals. As a result, only male cardinals can vote in a conclave, and only men are eligible to be elected pope.
"Conclave" screenwriter Peter Straughan said that the filmmakers were "welcomed" by Vatican officials.
"We were given a private tour of the Vatican and they were quite welcoming, actually, quite helpful," Straughan told USA Today in an article published Monday. "So it was a big research project, really. It's a fascinating and theatrical world, so you want to get those details right. It's a very sumptuous thing."
No, according to Straughn, who told USA Today that no filming was allowed at the Vatican, which forced the filmmakers to shoot on soundstages and in locations in and around Rome.
Yes, although loosely, according to Robert Harris, the author of the book on which the movie is based.
Harris told The New York Times last year that he had Pope Francis in mind when writing the book, for which he began research when Francis was elected in 2013.
“I thought he was an interesting figure to take and to look at the risks and rivalries and problems that were under the surface,” Harris said. “And I liked the idea of that sort of political tension under the surface.”
Yes again, according to both Straughan and Harris.
Straughan told The New York Times that he gained insight from a cardinal regarding conclave logistics but not necessarily the politicking that is depicted in "Conclave."
“This is the most secretive election in the world, it’s quite hard to get the inside scoop,” he said.
For the book, Harris said he spoke with the former archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who died in 2017, the year after the book was published.
Harris told The New York Times that after the book was published, Murphy-O'Connor wrote him “a very nice letter saying it was just like a conclave and that the research was very good.”
ABC News' Phoebe Natanson and Christopher Watson contributed to this report.
