{"id":2976,"date":"2025-04-26T19:58:49","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T17:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caeremonialeromanum.com\/?page_id=2976"},"modified":"2025-05-06T13:13:02","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T11:13:02","slug":"conclave-preparations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/caeremonialeromanum.com\/en\/conclave-preparations\/","title":{"rendered":"Conclave (preparations)"},"content":{"rendered":"

We present unique videos and photographs from the Vatican showing the preparations for the conclaves in 1922 (election of Pius XI), 1939 (election of Pius XII), 1958 (election of John XXIII) and 1963 (election of Paul VI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to these materials, we can even today take a look behind the scenes of the past conclave preparations, which included not only the issue of the appropriate arrangement of the Sistine Chapel (seats for the cardinals, canopies, the table of the electoral commission, the stove in which the votes were burned, etc.), but also, among other things, securing the entire Apostolic Palace and preparing the cells for the cardinals, and even the proper organisation of the kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are valuable historical testimonies documenting elements of ancient ceremonial, many of which (especially apart from the preparations themselves, e.g. the etiquette covering the cardinals’ attire, the ceremonies held immediately after the election of a new pope, or the decoration of the Sistine Chapel itself) were abandoned on the occasion of subsequent papal elections.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Sebastiano Ricci, Conclave<\/em>, c. 1687, Musei Civici di Palazzo Farnese (open in new tab to see in full resolution<\/em>).<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

1922<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, we present photographs showing the time from the death of Pope Benedict XV (interregnum pontificale<\/em>), through the preparations for the conclave, to the election and coronation of Pope Pius XI. The photographs come from the book by Georges Goyau and Paul Lesourd, Comment on \u00e9lit le pape<\/em> („How the Pope is Elected”), Paris 1935. To see the photo in full resolution, open it in a new window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1958<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We present photographs from the preparations for the 1958 conclave, which are collected in the LIFE magazine archive. To view a photograph in full size, open it in a new window. The files have not been enhanced with the use of artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE VIDEOS<\/strong> come from the British Path\u00e9 archive. Since they originally had no sound, the background music is Veni Creator<\/em> by Maestro Cardinal Domenico Bartolucci performed by Cappella Musicale Pontificia Sistina conducted by Mons. Marcos Pavan (source: Fondazione Cardinale Domenico Bartolucci). The photographs come from the Getty Images collection; to view a photograph in full size, open it in a new tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1939<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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