Lomeli observes the arrivals with the precision of a surgeon. In the square, the people pray for a just election. But within these walls, what’s truly at stake is absolute power over the Catholic Church.

The Beginning of the Conclave

At 4:30 p.m., the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel . The door shuts behind them. The murmurs fall silent.

Lomeli walks to the altar and, in the firm voice of a man seasoned in liturgy, declares:

—Extra omnes.

The lay attendants exit the chamber. They are alone now.

The Holy Spirit is the only witness.

The cardinals take their seats at long wooden tables under the stern gaze of Michelangelo. The frescoes of The Last Judgment cast shadows over their faces. At the chapel’s center, a silver urn awaits the ballots.

The protocol is clear: ✔️ Two ballots will be held per day. ✔️ A candidate needs two-thirds of the votes to be elected. ✔️ Each ballot will be burned in the chapel’s stove, releasing either black or white smoke.

Lomeli eyes the urn. The process appears sacred. But its true nature is political.