One Cardinal's Essential Conclave Item: a Book

It could be hours—or days—before a group of 133 cardinals manages to select a pope, reports Fox News. Cardinal Timothy Dolan will be one of them, and has some straightforward advice for cardinals who haven't experienced a papal conclave before: pack a book. Dolan, speaking Tuesday, emphasized that much of the conclave involves waiting in silence. "It's not like you're at the edge of the seat," he told the New York Times. On the contrary, each vote can take one to two hours, with the paper reporting the ballots are submitted "in an elaborate ritual to ensure there are no election violations."

Dolan, who took part in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, is packing a biography of Michelangelo. He's brought twelve packets of peanut butter for sustenance, allowing for three a day. ("The food's not that good," Dolan quipped.) As for his choices, he says he has some in mind, and that linguistics was, for him, a consideration. "It would be very difficult for someone who did not know enough Italian," he said. "If you don't know the difference between carbonara and tagliatelle, you're in trouble. It would be very difficult for somebody who only knows Italian, because you're also a universal pastor." (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)