A secret conclave to elect a new Pope was disrupted when a cardinal was found carrying a mobile phone, revealing a significant breach of security protocols. According to the book *The Election of Pope Leo XIV*, authored by veteran Vatican correspondents Gerard O’Connell and Elisabetta Pique, this incident occurred during the initial voting session on May 7, 2025, in the Sistine Chapel.
As the 133 cardinals prepared for their first vote, the chapel had been equipped with jamming devices to prevent any outside communication. Security officials detected an active mobile connection, leading to a moment of shock among the clerics. One of the older cardinals, realizing he had a phone in his pocket, handed it over, leaving him “disoriented and distressed,” the authors noted. O’Connell described the situation as “unimaginable even for a film” and emphasized that this real-life event was more startling than anything depicted in the movie *Conclave*, which portrays fictional intrigues surrounding papal elections.
Participation in a conclave requires cardinals to take a vow of silence and surrender all communication devices for the election’s duration, which can extend over several days. The Vatican press office has not responded to requests for comment on the revelations presented in the book, which offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one of the world’s most secretive elections.
The conclave, held from May 7-8, 2025, was convened following the death of Pope Francis in April. The global spotlight was intense as cardinals gathered to elect his successor. Two candidates quickly emerged as frontrunners: Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a veteran Vatican official, and Cardinal Robert Prevost, who had been relatively unknown outside church circles. Prevost would ultimately become Pope Leo XIV, marking him as the first pontiff from the United States.
In the initial vote on May 7, Prevost garnered between 20 and 30 votes, a notably high count for the first round. In contrast, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines, another favorite going into the election, received fewer than 10 votes. By the fourth ballot on May 8, Prevost secured his position with a total of 108 votes.
The atmosphere during the final vote was notable, with Tagle sitting beside Prevost and offering him a cough drop to soothe his throat as the results were being tallied, showcasing a sense of camaraderie amidst the tension of the moment.
As the Catholic Church moves forward under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV, the unexpected phone incident remains a striking reminder of the challenges associated with maintaining secrecy in such a high-profile setting.
