VATICAN CITY — Throughout history, there has been no shortage of outside attempts to influence the outcome of a conclave to elect a new pope, either by European monarchs, Italy’s noble families or even Romans who rioted in the streets to stand by their man.

Today’s influencers use social media, television and newspaper interviews, news conferences, open letters, and even puffs of pink smoke.

The campaigns to sway the outcome of a highly uncertain conclave started in earnest minutes after the announcement of Pope Francis’ death on Easter Monday and must end by Wednesday afternoon when the cardinal electors will be cut off from the outside world until they choose a successor.

Two episodes, in particular, have stood out as deliberate attempts to sabotage leading contenders for the papacy using underhand tactics.

Last Thursday, reports circulated on right-wing US Catholic social media and on the site of a conservative Italian newspaper that Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who is on most shortlists to become pope, had suffered a health scare and needed an hour of medical treatment.

The Vatican spokesman said the reports were totally false. Italian media said it was an attempt to “poison” the 70-year-old cardinal’s chances by implying that his body was not up to the job. “This was a clear attempt to penalize Parolin,” Italian Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio told an Italian newspaper.

A few days after Francis’ death, a six-year-old video of Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle singing parts of John Lennon’s “Imagine” in 2019 emerged on social media.

American and Italian conservative Catholic social media accused him of heresy, with one Italian traditionalist site asking: “Is this who we want as pope?” Tagle’s supporters countered that he had sung an abbreviated version that excluded the lyrics about no heaven and no religion.

“From the right and from the left, fake news about possible popes is going wild,” wrote Paolo Rodari, a Vatican commentator for RSI Swiss radio and television.

PUSHING CONSERVATIVES
Two well-known conservative journalists, Edward Pentin, a Briton, and Diane Montagna, an American, have prepared a 200-page, large format book in English and Italian called The College of Cardinals Report.

It includes profiles of 30 cardinals and their stand on key doctrinal and social issues.

Ms. Montagna has been handing it to cardinals entering and leaving the pre-conclave meetings.

Mr. Pentin told Reuters the book was “a service to the Church” and the inclusion of profiles of several ultra-conservative cardinals generally seen as having no chance of being elected was to give space to the possibility of “divine intervention” during the conclave.

On the other side of the spectrum, young, progressive Catholics from northern Europe have penned an open letter, urging the cardinals to pick a man who will continue with Francis’ reforms, saying he “opened doors, broke taboos.”

Tapping into long-running anger over the Church’s sexual abuse scandals, a number of groups have held news conferences in Rome to point out that the crisis is not over and rating the actions — or inactions — of some cardinal electors.

After each round of voting in the conclave, white smoke will emerge from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel if a pope has been elected and black smoke if he has not.

Perhaps the most colorful signal to the cardinals will come from the Women’s Ordination Conference, which promotes a female priesthood. The group plans to release pink smoke from a hill near the Vatican hours before the conclave starts.

“The exclusion of women from the conclave, and from ordained ministry, is a sin and a scandal,” executive director Kate McElwee said in a statement. “A group of ordained men meeting behind closed doors to make a consequential decision about the future of the church is textbook ‘old boy’s club’.” — Reuters

Filipino viewers can watch ABC News’ special coverage of the papal conclave and installation of the new pope  on Disney+. The coverage started streaming live on May 7. ABC’s World News Tonight anchor David Muir will lead the coverage, joined by anchors, correspondents, and reporters from ABC’s various news programs, plus contributors Father Jim Martin, Father John Wauck, and Helen Alvaré. The coverage will feature all voting session smoke releases until a new pope is announced. The replay of the papal conclave coverage will be available on Disney+ after the live streaming. 

VATICAN CITY — All of the 133 cardinals expected to take part in the secret conclave to elect a new pope have arrived in Rome, the Vatican said on Monday, with the race to succeed Pope Francis seen as wide open.

The conclave will start behind the closed, wooden doors of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday afternoon, with all cardinals aged under 80 entitled to take part to choose a successor to Francis, who died last month.

Some cardinals are looking for a new pope who will continue with Francis’ push for a more transparent, welcoming Church, while others are seeking retrenchment to more traditional roots that put a premium on doctrine.

Conclaves are often spread out over several days, with multiple votes held before a contender wins the necessary three-quarters majority to become pope.

The world’s Catholic cardinals have been meeting on a near daily basis since the day after Francis’ death on April 21 to discuss the state of the 1.4-billion-member Church, with the numbers of participating clerics gradually swelling.

The Vatican said 180 cardinals, including 132 electors, took part in a meeting on Monday morning. The 133^rd elector is also in Rome, but did not take part in the discussions.

Two cardinals, one from Spain and one from Kenya, will not be joining the conclave for health reasons, the Vatican said.

Among the questions addressed on Monday were “strong concern” about divisions within the Church, said the Vatican spokesman — a possible reference to splits over Francis’ decision to allow blessings for same-sex partners and to open discussion about the role of women in the Church.

Cardinals also talked about the profile of a future pope — “a figure who must be present, close, capable of being a bridge and a guide… a shepherd close to the real life of the people,” the spokesman said.

CHANGING LISTS
While there are a few cardinals seen as potential front-runners to succeed Francis  —  two often mentioned are Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle  —  many of the voting clerics have not made up their minds.

“My list is changing, and I think it will continue to change over the next few days,” British Cardinal Vincent Nichols, participating in his first conclave, told Reuters. “It’s a process which for me is far from concluded, far from concluded.”

The cardinals will hold a second session of talks on Monday afternoon, with a final round expected on Tuesday. Two Vatican guest houses will house the cardinals during the conclave, when they will be barred from contact with the outside world.

German Cardinal Walter Kasper, who is 92 and cannot take part in the vote, said he was sure the electors would choose someone to pursue Francis’ progressive agenda.

“I believe that there is a very clear expectation. People want a pope to follow Francis. A pastor who knows the language of the heart, who does not close himself in palaces,” Kasper told La Stampa newspaper.

“Of course, there are also cardinals who hope for a change of direction with respect to Francis. But my impression… is that the majority of cardinals are in favor of continuity.” — Reuters

Filipino viewers can watch ABC News’ special coverage of the papal conclave and installation of the new pope  on Disney+. The coverage started streaming live on May 7. ABC’s World News Tonight anchor David Muir will lead the coverage, joined by anchors, correspondents, and reporters from ABC’s various news programs, plus contributors Father Jim Martin, Father John Wauck, and Helen Alvaré. The coverage will feature all voting session smoke releases until a new pope is announced. The replay of the papal conclave coverage will be available on Disney+ after the live streaming.