Conclave” the film may have introduced moviegoers to the spectacular ritual and drama of a modern conclave, but the periodic voting to elect a new pope has been going on for centuries and created a whole genre of historical trivia.

Following the death of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church has chosen a date to elect its new leader, in a process virtually unchanged in 800 years.The system is known as the ‘Papal Conclave,’ and is a democratic process with a strong emphasis on working through multiple rounds of voting until a clear consensus emerges.