Following the death of Pope Francis, the papal conclave - where Catholic cardinals gather to elect a new leader - will soon begin. It’s a ritual that’s highly secretive, and the outcome will be pivotal for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll look at what happens in the conclave, who’s in the running to be the next pontiff, and why the choice is important for the direction of the Church and the huge influence it has throughout the world.

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Watching: The movie Conclave. It’s a fictional account of what happens during the conclave, but it gives a good insight into it all and the politicking that goes on. And, no spoilers, but there’s a big twist at the end.

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