🏛️ The Longest Conclave in History: When Viterbo Challenged the Church

In the heart of Viterbo, within the austere walls of the Palazzo dei Papi, one of the most surprising and dramatic episodes in Church history took place.It was the year 1268. After the death of Pope Clement IV, the cardinals gathered in the City of the Popes to elect his successor.No one imagined it would take 33 months to do so.

⏳ When Faith Meets Deadlock

Tensions were high: pro-French and pro-Imperial factions clashed, each determined to impose its own candidate.Meanwhile, Viterbo waited.And waited.And waited some more.

Two winters and three springs passed. No white smoke. No decision.The city—then as now—was practical and proud: it hosted, it endured... but not forever.

🔒 The Day the People Locked the Door

So, in 1270, the exasperated citizens of Viterbo made a bold move that would change Church history forever:they locked the cardinals inside the Conclave Hall, sealing the doors.

“Cum clave”—“with a key”: hence the word conclave, still in use today.

But it didn’t stop there.

The people reduced the cardinals’ food rations, and according to some accounts—half legend, half truth—they even removed the roof of the hall, exposing them to the sun, the rain… and public shame.

👑 A Pope, At Last

After nearly three years, the miracle happened.In 1271, Pope Gregory X was finally elected—a man of balance and vision.

Aware of the absurdity that had unfolded, he established the formal rules of the conclave with the constitution Ubi Periculum, setting time limits and strict conditions for future papal elections.

🕯️ A Legacy That Still Lives On

Today, if you visit the Palazzo dei Papi, and step into the Conclave Hall,you can still feel the suspended tension of those endless days.The cold stones seem to hold their breath.

And from that bold act by the people of Viterbo was born a solemn institution—respected for centuries, wrapped in mystery, and followed to this day.

📌 Did You Know?

• The 1268–1271 conclave remains the longest in the history of the Church.

• Dante Alighieri referenced the papal residence in Viterbo in his political writings.

• The word conclave was literally born within the walls of Viterbo.

🛶 Travel Tip

If you visit Viterbo, don’t miss the Conclave Hall.Feel the silence.Look up through the loggia—where perhaps once, there was no roof at all.And remember: right here, in a small town in the Tuscia, the world changed forever.