Conclave (2024) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Archbishop Benitez of Kabul appeared at the conclave because the late Pope had secretly appointed him as a cardinal. This revelation surprised all the other cardinals, as Benitez's appointment had been kept confidential. His unexpected presence added another candidate to the race and represented the late Pope's vision for a more diverse and inclusive Church leadership.

Foreshadowing: The late Pope's decision to secretly appoint Benitez foreshadows his progressive legacy and sets the stage for the eventual election outcome.

• cardinal benitez
• conclave
• papal election
• archbishop benitez
• secret appointment

Lawrence delivered the diversity speech as a veiled campaign address, urging cardinals to consider diversity in their choice for the next Pope. Though he presented himself as reluctant to accept the papacy, many cardinals interpreted his speech as a direct push for his own candidacy. This moment revealed Lawrence's deeper political ambitions despite his outward display of humility.

Foreshadowing: The speech established Lawrence as a key player whose influence extended beyond his role as Cardinal-Dean.

• cardinal lawrence
• diversity speech
• conclave
• campaign
• papal candidate

Bellini made a deal with Tremblay to back his candidacy in exchange for a coveted bureaucratic position within the Vatican. This political maneuver shocked other progressives, especially since Bellini had been a vocal opponent of Adeyemi's homophobia. The deal demonstrated how quickly political alliances shifted in the conclave's cutthroat environment.

Foreshadowing: Bellini's willingness to compromise his principles early on set the stage for his eventual redemption arc.

• cardinal bellini
• cardinal tremblay
• deal
• vote
• conclave politics

A nun who worked in the conclave's cafeteria confronted Adeyemi, revealing she had borne his child years earlier in Africa. When Lawrence confronted him, Adeyemi admitted the truth. This personal scandal triggered a whisper campaign that severely damaged his candidacy, despite his strong polling position. The revelation exposed hypocrisy in his publicly conservative moral stance.

Foreshadowing: Adeyemi's secret past directly contributed to his downfall, showing how personal secrets became weapons in the conclave.

• cardinal adeyemi
• nun
• scandal
• child
• conclave
• candidacy

Lawrence discovered incriminating documents in the late Pope's residence that proved Tremblay had engaged in vote buying, bribing cardinals to secure support for his candidacy. This evidence of corruption represented a serious breach of conclave rules and could have disqualified Tremblay entirely.

Foreshadowing: The late Pope's hidden files revealed the extent of corruption lurking beneath the conclave's sacred proceedings.

• tremblay
• bribery
• vote buying
• documents
• evidence
• corruption

Benitez was elected as a compromise candidate who represented a middle ground among the warring factions. His progressive stance on reconciliation and his advocacy for Church evolution appealed to cardinals seeking reform after the scandal-plagued process. Unlike the other candidates who were tainted by scandals or controversial ideologies, Benitez represented a fresh start for the Church.

Foreshadowing: The late Pope's secret appointment of Benitez ultimately proved prophetic, as his vision for the Church prevailed.

• benitez
• pope election
• new pope
• conclave result
• compromise candidate

Lawrence learned that Benitez is intersex and had made a choice regarding his anatomy. This information, discovered just before Benitez's election was announced, could have completely derailed his candidacy and caused a major scandal for the Church.

Foreshadowing: The late Pope's trust in Benitez despite knowing this secret highlighted the themes of loyalty and acceptance.

• benitez
• secret
• intersex
• lawrence
• identity
• discovery

Lawrence decided to protect Benitez's secret out of loyalty to the late Pope, who had trusted Benitez enough to secretly appoint him as a cardinal. Rather than expose the truth and shatter the hope for a progressive new direction for the Church, Lawrence prioritized the Church's future over his own ambition and the potential scandal.

Foreshadowing: Lawrence's choice reflects his own journey from political maneuvering to principled sacrifice.

• lawrence
• benitez
• secret
• loyalty
• sacrifice
• choice

A suicide bombing in Rome killed 52 people and damaged the Sistine Chapel, creating a major crisis during the conclave. The tragedy forced cardinals to reconsider the Church's direction and priorities. Tedesco's reactionary calls for conflict intensified divisions, while Benitez's message of reconciliation gained traction as the Church faced external tragedy.

Foreshadowing: The external crisis shifted internal politics, ultimately benefiting more moderate candidates.

• bombing
• rome
• sistine chapel
• terror attack
• conclave
• impact

Lawrence grappled with a profound crisis of faith that had previously led him to contemplate resigning from his position as Cardinal-Dean. His spiritual doubt made him genuinely reluctant to accept the papacy, even as he remained deeply involved in the political maneuvering. This internal conflict created tension between his sense of duty and his personal spiritual struggles.

Foreshadowing: Lawrence's crisis of faith established his character as someone driven by conscience rather than ambition.

• lawrence
• crisis of faith
• reluctant
• pope
• doubt
• resignation