What the Longest & Shortest Conclaves in History Teach Us about the Holy Spirit
Apr 30, 2025 by Cheryl Hadley
As the Church waits and prays for the election of a new pope, many Catholics are naturally curious about how conclaves work—and how long they can take. Some elections have unfolded swiftly and peacefully. Others have been fraught with challenges.
Throughout the Church’s 2,000-year history, conclaves have been moments of spiritual discernment, but also human drama. Some have lasted mere hours, while others dragged on for years. But each one, in its own way, has been a moment of grace—a reminder that the Holy Spirit is ultimately in charge, even when the process looks messy from the outside.
Let’s take a look at the longest and shortest conclaves in Church history—and what we can learn from both.
The Longest Conclave: 1268-1271 in Viterbo, Italy
After the death of Pope Clement IV, the Church found itself stuck in an unprecedented deadlock. The cardinals gathered in the town of Viterbo to elect a new pope—but they couldn’t agree.
Why did it take so long?
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Political divisions ran deep, especially between French and Italian cardinals.
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There were no formal conclave rules yet. The cardinals came and went freely, and outside influences slowed the process even more.
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For almost three years, the See of Peter remained vacant.
Eventually, the local people had enough. In a bold move, they locked the cardinals in the papal palace, cut their food supply, and even removed the roof of the building to hasten the election! It worked.
In September 1271, they elected Teobaldo Visconti, who wasn’t even a cardinal at the time. The Franciscan was on a crusade in the Holy Land with the future King Edward I of England. He was notified while in Palestine, and became Pope Gregory X.
The fruit of the delay:
Gregory X saw the need for reform. At the Second Council of Lyons (1274), he established formal conclave procedures: cardinals must remain in seclusion, voting would proceed in an orderly fashion, and outside interference was prohibited. These are the very rules that still guide papal elections today.
Even in delay and division, God brought about growth and clarity for His Church.
The Shortest Conclave: 1503
The shortest papal conclave in history was the conclave of October 1503, which elected Pope Julius II. It lasted only a few hours, reportedly less than 10 hours—from the morning to the afternoon of October 31, 1503.
Why was it so quick?
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This conclave followed the death of Pope Pius III, who had reigned for only 26 days.
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Giuliano della Rovere, who became Pope Julius II, was a powerful cardinal with strong backing, and many cardinals had already agreed to vote for him beforehand.
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Because of this pre-conclave consensus, the actual voting process was unusually swift
What These Conclaves Teach Us Today
While the process has varied over the centuries, one thing has never changed: the papacy belongs to Christ. He alone chooses the shepherd we need, at the time we need him.
Whether a conclave lasts one day or one year, Catholics can be confident that the Holy Spirit is guiding the process—even when human frailty is involved. The rules and rituals are there to foster prayerful discernment, but it is God who speaks in the silence of the Sistine Chapel, to the hearts of the electors, to insure the preservation of His Church.
(Read more about the conclave here.)
So what should we do while we wait?
Pray: Offer daily prayers for the cardinals who will vote, the man who will be chosen, and our future Church. Join us in asking the Holy Spirit to guide the conclave!
Trust: Remember that even the most chaotic moments in the history of our Church have been followed by spiritual renewal and grace
Participate: Teach your children about the Papacy, read about the conclave and the process as it takes place, celebrate the joy of Habeumus Papam when the white smoke finally rises.
The Church Is in God’s Hands
The stories of the longest and shortest conclaves remind us that the Church does not run on our timeline—but on God’s. Whether through a three-year deadlock in medieval Italy or a straightforward 24-hour decision in modern Rome, the Holy Spirit provides the shepherd we need.
Together, let's pray in hope and confidence to the Holy Spirit for the future Holy Father and the future of our Church.
Join Catholics around the world in asking the Holy Spirit to guide the Conclave