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A look back at lengths of the last 5 conclaves

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Christine Rousselle - published on 05/07/25
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As the conclave starts today, May 7, here's a quick look back at the last five times the Catholic Church elected a pope.

POPE LEO XIV

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The conclave kicks off today, May 7, 2025, and 133 cardinals have been locked in the Sistine Chapel to begin the process of electing a new pope.

The conclave will last until a person is elected, meaning they have received at least 89 of the 133 votes.

While the longest conclaves have lasted months, or even years, the last time a conclave lasted longer than four days was the election of Pope Pius XI more than a century ago.

As Mark Twain is alleged to have said, "history doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes." Here's a look at how the voting process went the last five times the cardinals gathered.

1June 1963 conclave

Began: June 19, 1963

Ended: June 21, 1963

Number of ballots: Six

Elected: Cardinal Giovanni Montini, who took the name Pope Paul VI

2August 1978 conclave

Began: August 25, 1978

Ended: August 26, 1978

Number of ballots: Four

Elected: Cardinal Albino Luciani, who took the name Pope John Paul I

3October 1978 conclave

Began: October 14, 1978

Ended: October 16, 1978

Number of ballots: eight

Elected: Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who took the name Pope John Paul II

4April 2005 conclave

Began: April 18, 2005

Ended: April 19, 2005

Number of ballots: Four

Elected: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who took the name Pope Benedict XVI

5March 2013 conclave

Began: March 12, 2013

Ended: March 13, 2013

Number of ballots: Five

Elected: Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who took the name Pope Francis

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