In the heart of Italy lies the town of Viterbo, a small settlement north of Rome that played a significant role in the history of the Catholic Church. It was here, amid mounting frustration and outrage from its citizens, that the longest papal election came to an end, giving birth to the term “conclave.”
This 13th-century event in Viterbo is considered a turning point in papal elections, lasting for a staggering number of days – 1,006 to be precise – due to intense disagreements among cardinals regarding the selection of a new pope. This lengthy process in Viterbo marks what is considered the origin of modern conclaves, where cardinals remain secluded in one location until a new pontiff is elected, usually requiring negotiations and compromises.
The cardinals gathered in Viterbo in November 1268, tasked with electing a successor to Pope Clement IV. However, disagreements split them into factions, delaying consensus until September 1271. As the cardinals deliberated, impatience grew among locals who were affected by the prolonged election, which was overshadowed by political and internal conflicts.
These divisions were rooted in the cardinals’ alliances with rival factions, chiefly between supporters of the papacy and those aligned with the Holy Roman Empire, further complicated by personal connections, making a mutual decision exceedingly difficult. The prolonged election placed a financial burden on the citizens, who had to cover the cardinals’ expenses, prompting them to take drastic actions.
In a bid to hasten the decision, the cardinals were confined within Viterbo’s papal palace, initiating the use of the term “conclave,” derived from the Latin words “cum” (with) and “clavem” (key). “The cardinals have left us an invaluable record,” stated Elena Cangiano, an archaeologist at Viterbo’s medieval Palazzo dei Papi, referring to a document dated June 8, 1270, where the cardinals acknowledged being locked inside a roofless palace.
According to Viterbo’s oral legend, the cardinals resorted to camping within this exposed space, with evidence purportedly found in the form of holes on the hall’s floor, likely left by tent poles. In a further attempt to expedite a decision, the Viterbese reduced the cardinals’ meals to just bread and water. Yet, when progress remained stagnant, they began dismantling parts of the palace roof, leaving the cardinals vulnerable to the weather.
These extreme conditions lasted for three weeks, after which the cardinals were allowed to occupy other rooms of the palace but were not permitted to leave the premises. It took another 15 months before Gregory X was elected pope. To ensure such a drawn-out election process would not occur again, Gregory X introduced the “Ubi Periculum” constitution, instituting strict regulations to confine cardinals during conclaves.
Gregory’s election was regarded as a “compromise,” selected to mend the divisions within the college of cardinals and conclude the arduous process. This historical conclave in Viterbo paved the way for future papal elections, with many practices established there still forming the basis of modern conclaves.
Gregory X decreed stricter rules, limiting cardinals to one meal a day, later reduced to bread, water, and wine, encouraging a more expedited election. However, Adrian V, the pope elected soon after, temporarily suspended these restrictions.
Fabrizio Cardoni, a lifelong resident of Viterbo, expresses pride in the town’s historical significance. “This is the heritage of our city,” he says. “We deeply value our medieval district and the unique beauty of the Pope’s palace.”
Cristina Giusio, a visitor from northern Italy, was pleasantly surprised to learn about the historic conclave during her tour of the papal palace. “It was an astonishing discovery; I had no idea that the first conclave commenced here,” she remarked.
Experts in Vatican history emphasize the influence of Viterbo on the characteristics of modern conclaves, including their comparatively brief durations. As the present conclave approaches in Rome’s Sistine Chapel, to elect a successor to Pope Francis, Viterbo’s legacy may once again be significant. “Thanks to the events in Viterbo, the timing of elections is typically more predictable now,” explained Cangiano, noting how modern conclaves avoid lengthy delays.