In 1271, with the papal throne vacant for over two years, local
officials locked the cardinals of the Catholic Church in a room, forcing
them to select a new pope. From this inauspicious beginning arose the
practice of the conclave, the highly secretive combination of rituals
and politics designed to select a new leader for the world's Catholic
population. With Pope John Paul II ailing, the time for a new conclave
draws nearer, and Rome is preparing for over 6,000 journalists and
innumerable interested onlookers to descend on the Eternal City to
witness the election of the next leader of the Catholic Church. In The
Conclave, prominent Catholic historian Michael Walsh takes readers
through the history of conclaves past, highlighting the vendettas,
feuds, and political intrigues that have colored the selection of a new
pontiff. An entertaining history of the secret deliberations, colorful
stories, and even bloody events that surround the making and unmaking of
popes, The Conclave is a great story, a great history, and an important
work for anyone interested in the papacy.