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3mo ago

Cardinals Endure Bland Meals as Papal Conclave Combines Centuries-Old Food Rules with Modern Secrecy Measures

Simple dishes prepared by nuns at Casa Santa Marta reflect historical bans on stuffed and complex foods, while digital countermeasures now dominate conclave security.

Cardinals adjust their mitre hats during a final Mass celebrated by cardinals inside St. Peter's Basilica before the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
A 13th-century decree by Gregory X banned all foods but bread and water after cardinals failed to decide the next pope in a conclave that lasted three years
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Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025. Robert Francis Prevost was on Thursday elected the first pope from the United States, the Vatican announced. A moderate who was close to Pope Francis and spent years as a missionary in Peru, he becomes the Catholic Church's 267th pontiff, taking the papal name Leo XIV. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Cardinals participating in the ongoing papal conclave are served simple cafeteria-style meals, including pasta, vegetables, and soup, prepared by nuns under vows of secrecy.
  • Historical food restrictions, dating back to 1274 under Pope Gregory X, aimed to prevent poisoning and the smuggling of messages through complex dishes like ravioli and whole chickens.
  • Modern conclaves prioritize digital security with measures like electronic jamming and device confiscation, though food rules remain as a symbolic nod to tradition.
  • Cardinals have expressed dissatisfaction with the plain quality of the meals, describing them as uninspired and akin to 'train station food.'
  • The conclave, currently underway in the Sistine Chapel, continues the Church's long-standing emphasis on secrecy while adapting to evolving security concerns.