How the papal conclaves fared in the past century: The history of electing a new pope

Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Over the past century, no conclave has lasted more than five days and the fastest vote was for Pope Pius XII. Twice prelates from North America missed the vote because they couldn't get to Rome in time, and a Hungarian cardinal sat out two conclaves because he was holed up in the U.S. Embassy in Budapest seeking asylum.

A look at a century of conclave balloting.

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July 31-Aug. 4, 1903: Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto (Pius X) elected on seven ballots over four days. Sixty-two of 64 cardinals participated.

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Aug. 31-Sept. 3, 1914: Italian Cardinal Giacomo della Chiesa (Benedict XV) elected on 10th ballot on third day. Fifty-six of 65 cardinals participated. Cardinals from Boston, Baltimore and Quebec arrived after the election.

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Feb. 2-6, 1922: Italian Cardinal Achille Ratti (Pius XI) elected on 14th ballot on fifth day. Fifty-three of 60 cardinals participated. Cardinals from Boston, Philadelphia and Quebec arrived too late.

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March 1-2, 1939: Italian Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (Pius XII) elected on third ballot on second day. All 62 cardinals participated.

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Oct. 25-28, 1958: Italian Cardinal Angelo Roncalli (John XXIII) elected on 11th ballot on fourth day. Fifty-one of 53 cardinals participated. Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty of Hungary had taken asylum in the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, and Yugoslav Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was under house arrest.

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June 19-21, 1963: Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini (Paul VI) elected on sixth ballot on third day. Eighty of the 88 cardinals participated. Mindszenty was still in U.S. Embassy asylum.

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Aug. 25-26, 1978: Italian Cardinal Albino Luciano (John Paul I) elected on fourth ballot on second day. A total of 111 cardinals from 49 nations and territories took part and three were absent because of illness; 15 cardinals could not join under new rule limiting vote age to under 80.

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Oct. 14-16, 1978: Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II) elected on eighth ballot on third day to become first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI (1522-1523). A total of 111 cardinals from 49 nations and territories took part.

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April 18-19, 2005: German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) elected on fourth ballot on second day. A total of 115 cardinals from 52 nations and territories took part.