Editor’s notes from Rome: As the media conclave ends, the real one begins
Who will be the next pope? How long will the conclave last?
Those two questions are probably responsible for about 90% of conversation between members of the media that I’ve heard (or overheard) since I arrived in Rome Monday morning to cover the conclave for Angelus. But they also help explain why this conclave may be very different from past ones.
In many ways, a conclave is the perfect media event, complete with ancient rituals, a colorful cast of characters sworn to secrecy, and a theatrical, low-tech climax that keeps an enthralled international audience guessing to the very end.