21/25
After the pope dies, his ring (called the Fisherman’s Ring) is removed and destroyed
When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with presiding over one of the world’s most secret and ancient events, the election of a new pope, he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church. Many of the actions that Cardinal Lawrence and the other cardinals take during the conclave process in the film are true and accurate to the Catholic faith and centuries-old tradition. The Vatican makes an official announcement that the throne of the Holy See (the governing body of the Catholic Church) is vacant. The papal apartment is closed with red tape and sealed with a wax papal seal.
It is said that Allende will be the first African pope
The college of cardinals is isolated in apartments (Domus Sanctae Marthae, the House of Saint Martha) to eat and sleep between votes. Finally, the windows and doors of the Sistine Chapel, where the actual election and voting take place, are blacked out, closed, and locked to preserve the secrecy of the conclave. The Roman Catholic Church has had three African popes: Victor I (189-199 AD), Miltiades (also known as Melchiades, 311-314 AD), and Gelasius I (492-496 AD). Lawrence: Our faith is a living thing precisely because it goes hand in hand with doubt.
And therefore there is no need for faith
If there were only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery. Let us pray to God to give us a pope who doubts. And may he give us a Pope who errs and begs for forgiveness, and who goes on.. Featured on The 7PM Project: Episode dated December 10, 2024 (2024).
This is a political thriller
Allegri: Miserere Performed by Capella Musicale Pontificia Sistina, Massimo Palombella Courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon GMBH Licensed by Universal Music Operations Ltd. With a little tweaking, this kind of vaguely labyrinthine plotting happens wherever there is a quest for power and control. The lead actors – Fiennes, Tucci, Lithgow, Rossellini and Msamatti – give powerful performances and the film is worth seeing for them alone. The script is well written, if clichéd in parts, but it builds tension, momentum and intrigue.
The settings also play their part and, given the scale, add weight and authenticity, rather than just background
Having said all that and without giving anything away, the ending felt rushed and didn’t really integrate with the rest of the film. While the message was well-intentioned, to some extent it undermined the build-up to the rest of the film – it felt simplistic and à la mode – unnecessary. It’s a shame, because if this part of the film had been given as much attention as the rest, it would have been a better film.