The History of the Papal Conclave

In this longer than usual documentary I look at the history of the Papal Conclave, the process of electing a new Pope, a new Bishop of Rome. I look at how papal elections developed and evolved, and how the secretive process that is the hallmark of the conclave today, grew out of many centuries of conflict and difficulty, as the papacy grappled with the demands of internal and external power. I also talk through the key elements of the modern conclave and what goes on behind the closed doors of the Sistine chapel.