Inside the most secret newsletter in the world

This should be the most secret election in the world.

If on Wednesday 133 Catholic cardinals close to the Sistine chapel to select Pope Francis’ successor, each will swear on the Gospels to keep details under the wraps.

The same goes for each person in the Vatican during the conclave: from two doctors who are at hand, for any emergency, to the canteens who fed cardinals. Everyone promises to observe “absolute and eternal secrecy”.

To be sure, the chapel and two boarding houses will be swept over the microphones and bugs.

“There are electronic jamirs to make sure the phone and Wi-Fi signals are not included or out,” said John Allen, editor of Crux News.

“The Vatican perceives the idea of ​​isolation very seriously.”

Closing is not only in maintaining the voting process.

It is also intended to stop “moody forces” from hacking information or violation of the analysis, as well as in order for the voting to do not affect the outside world on what may be one of the biggest solutions to their lives.

Catholics will tell you that the elections are guided by God, not politics. But the hierarchy does not require chance.

When entering the conclave, everyone is obliged to hand over all electronic devices, including phones, tablets and smart hours. The Vatican has its own police to comply with the rules.

“Logic is trust but check,” said John Allen.

“There are no TVs, newspapers and Radio for Conclave – Nothing,” said Monsignor Paolo de Nikola, who has been the head of the papal house for three decades.

“You can’t even open the windows because many rooms have windows in the outside world.”

Everyone who works behind the high Vatican walls for the conclave was strongly tested. However, they are forbidden to communicate with voters.

“Cardinals are completely invalid,” said Inessa San Martin of Papal Mission Societies in the US.

“There will be just right for some specific circumstances, for example,” we need a doctor “or” hey, the pope was chosen, maybe someone can tell the ringing in the basilica. “

So if someone violates the rules?

“There is an oath, and those who do not observe that it risks former communication,” says Msgr de Nicolo, which means an exception from the church. “No one dares to do it.”

This is another question the day before the conclave.

Officially, the cardinals are forbidden to comment even now. But since the moment Pope Francis was buried, parts of the Italian press, and many visitors have turned into hunting for cardinals, trying to deprive their most likely successor.

They viewed the institutions around the Vatican, ready to reflect on any observations and possible alliances.

“Wine and Rigotoni: Last Suppeat of the Cardinals,” was one of the headlines in the La Repubblica, which described “Princes of the Church”, which enjoyed “good Roman lunches” before closing.

Then the reporters were grilled by the waiters that they could eavesdrop.

“Nothing,” one of Robert’s servers told me, a couple of streets back from St. Peter.

“They are always silent when we approach.”

The second major place to catch the cardinal is near the basilica itself, next to the curve of the columns covering the main area. Every morning there is pressing for cameras and journalists looking for men in lace and scarlet coats.

There are now about 250 cardinals in the city called here from all over the world, although those who are 80 and older have no right to vote.

When they go to the Vatican for their daily congregations to discuss the elections, each is surrounded and bombed by progress.

They distributed little in response to “need unity” or assure that the conclave would be short.

“The whole idea is to be a religious decision, not political,” explains Inessa San Martin. “We say that the Holy Spirit manages a conversation and a vote.”

But the Pope heads a huge, wealthy institution with significant moral authority and global worse, from resolving conflicts to sexual politics.

Thus, the person is chosen – and his vision and priorities are important far beyond the Vatican.

Some Catholic monarchs had a veto in the elections until 1907. Today, votes from all quarters are trying to influence the discussion – most obviously through the media.

At one point, Il Mesager Rome went to believing that the first Italian cardinal-dovetin, for “some self-documentary”.

Then a video of the Philippine Cardinal Tag, who sang John Lennan appeared, appears to be obviously released in Dent. Instead, it was viral.

Meanwhile, a glossy book that emphasizes some potential applicants is conducting tours, exciting conservatives such as Cardinal Sarah from Guinea for condemning the “modern evil” abortion and “same -sex agenda.”

“There are groups in the city trying to hit the drum on interest,” says John Allen. “Cardinals know about such things, they read the documents. But they will do their best to block it.”

“Is there a lobby? The way in every election,” Inessa San Martin agrees. “But it’s not as loud as I thought it would.”

She claims that Pope Francis has appointed so many new cardinals, including new places.

“Fifty -sixty percent of them don’t even know each other. So even if you were an external group, trying to have an agenda, it is very difficult to even choose cardinals.”

By morning on Wednesday, all voters should be on the spot in the Vatican – deprived of phones and sealed from the rest of the world.

John Allen believes that personal preferences will prevail over politics, “liberal” or “conservative” fractions or “crashing and humming public discussions”.

“I really think that the discussions of the cardinals are key,” said San Martin. “Much has performed for the first time. You never know how inspiring one of them can be.”