The pope who came out of that election, Gregory X, decreed in 1274 that after three days of conclave, cardinals would get only one meal a day. The more days they took, the less food they got.

The longest papal conclave ever took place from November 29, 1268 to 1271, lasting 34 months. In the end, Pope Gregory X was elected.

Cardinals attend a final Mass St. Peter’s Basilica, before the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) ...

Newly elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica after being elected by the conclave of cardinals at the Vatican, March 13 ...

When Pope Leo XIV surprised tens of thousands of young people at a recent Holy Year celebration with an impromptu popemobile ...

Who votes for a pope? Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in a conclave. They are known as the cardinal electors, and their number is 135.

Now, the College of Cardinals has members from over 90 countries, with Francis having appointed nearly 80% of them. Holding a conclave to elect a pope is a tradition that goes back centuries.

Cardinals attend a final Mass St. Peter’s Basilica, before the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) ...