Five minutes and three lunches in one day to elect the new pope

On Tuesday, one of the planes connecting Madrid and Rome was full of priests. Also traveling incognito, in civilian clothes, was a Spanish cardinal, trying to avoid detection. He was going to Italy to bid farewell to Pope Francis, but also to participate in the election of the future leader of the Catholic Church. Rome is abuzz these days. Three-way talks, the occasional clandestine meeting, and whispers in the shadows of the cardinals who will elect the new pontiff. As editor Ignasi Moreta explains, Cardinal Narcís Jubany participated in the two conclaves held by Pope John Paul I and John Paul II in 1978. During those days, some cardinals even had lunch three times in one day. And it is now, in the days leading up to the funeral, that alliances are beginning to form. Sotto voce. Although the election is in the hands of the 135 cardinals under the age of 80, the rest of the members of the College of Cardinals, who are the most experienced, also participate in these days of meetings and agreements. "They have lived through many things, they are influencers, are the ones who will say don't do this or look here," says journalist and professor specializing in religion Míriam Diez.

On Tuesday, one of the planes connecting Madrid and Rome was full of priests. Also traveling incognito, in civilian clothes, was a Spanish cardinal, trying to avoid detection. He was going to Italy to bid farewell to Pope Francis, but also to participate in the election of the future leader of the Catholic Church.

Rome is abuzz these days. Three-way talks, the occasional clandestine meeting, and whispers in the shadows of the cardinals who will elect the new pontiff. As editor Ignasi Moreta explains, Cardinal Narcís Jubany participated in the two conclaves held by Pope John Paul I and John Paul II in 1978.

During those days, some cardinals even had lunch three times in one day. And it is now, in the days leading up to the funeral, that alliances are beginning to form. .

Although the election is in the hands of the 135 cardinals under the age of 80, the rest of the members of the College of Cardinals, who are the most experienced, also participate in these days of meetings and agreements. "They have lived through many things, they are , are the ones who will say don't do this or look here," says journalist and professor specializing in religion Míriam Diez..