'Conclave' author explains secretive Vatican process after Pope Francis' death
With Pope Francis's funeral drawing more than 200,000 expected attendees on Saturday, interest in the papal succession process has intensified. It's driving viewers to the film "Conclave" -- based on the Robert Harris novel of the same name.
The Oscar-winning 2024 movie, which explores the secretive process of selecting a new pope, has seen a surge in viewership following the pontiff's death. Speaking to ABC News on Friday, Harris compared himself to "one of those people who writes a Christmas hit and then it just keeps coming round and round again."
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Harris described the papal conclave as "the most extraordinary event, centuries old, steeped in mystique and secrecy... a psychological contest that produces the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide."
Drawing from historical precedent, Harris noted the unpredictable nature of papal selection.
"Anyone who thinks they can predict the outcome of a conclave is a fool," he said, explaining that frontrunners often face challenges.
He cited the 2005 conclave that saw Cardinal Ratzinger become Pope Benedict as an example, where there was "an attempt to block him." During that conclave, the liberal candidate who was expected to challenge Ratzinger "failed in the early ballots. This led that candidate's supporters to back Cardinal Bergoglio, who lost on that occasion but was elected as Pope Francis in 2013.
"The moment I came across that story, I realized here are three characters now: the conservative, the liberal whose time has passed, and the outsider who people are ready to rally behind," Harris explained.
The voting process requires a two-thirds majority, with two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon.
"It's in those times [between votes] that almost inevitably, they talk about what is happening," Harris said, offering rare insight into the deliberation process.
He noted that these breaks for lunch and evening provide crucial opportunities for "wheeling and dealing."
Harris, who conducted extensive research, including conversations with cardinals who participated in previous conclaves. "Conclave" follows the dean of the College of Cardinals, played by Ralph Fiennes in the movie.
"A decent man but who is having doubts, and he has to struggle with his own spiritual doubts as he has to organize this huge election," Harris said.
The author believes the current speculation about the next pope's identity will likely miss the mark, noting that Pope Francis was "completely off the radar at the last conclave, and nobody tipped him as the likely winner, even though he'd been the runner up the previous conclave."
Harris observed that the media often lags behind actual developments behind the closed doors of the conclave, saying reporters outside are "always predicting the man who's just been knocked out."
"I hope they get a better sense of how a conclave operates," Harris said of viewers discovering his work. He emphasized that his portrayal aimed to be "more sympathetic than a lot of media portrayals of the Catholic Church."
