What Was The Longest Papal Conclave In History? Inside The 1,006-Day Deadlock That Changed The Catholic Church

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The longest papal conclave in history lasted an astonishing 1,006 days, leaving the Catholic Church without a pope from 1268 to 1271. This unprecedented deadlock followed the death of Pope Clement IV and revealed the deep political divisions within the College of Cardinals. Held in Viterbo, Italy, the prolonged election highlighted the urgent need for reform in the papal election process. The crisis eventually led to the election of Pope Gregory X and the introduction of new conclave rules that laid the foundation for how the papacy is selected to this day.

The Death of Pope Clement IV

The unprecedented conclave was triggered by the death of Pope Clement IV on 29 November 1268. At the time, the Church was deeply entangled in political struggles that extended across Europe and into the very heart of the College of Cardinals. These tensions were largely due to the bitter conflict between two major factions: the Guelphs, who supported the papacy and were often aligned with French interests, and the Ghibellines, who favoured the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor and leaned toward imperial control of Church affairs.

These rivalries made consensus nearly impossible and exposed the spiritual leadership of the Church to worldly power plays.

The Cardinals Gather in Viterbo

Following Clement IV’s death, 20 cardinals gathered in the papal residence at Viterbo, a walled town in central Italy that frequently hosted the papal court. But what began as a routine conclave soon turned into a stalemate of historic proportions.

The electoral rules at the time required a two-thirds majority vote to elect a new pope. With every faction attempting to push forward its own candidate — or block those of the opposing side — the process came to a grinding halt. Days turned into months, and months turned into years. Meanwhile, the Church was left without clear leadership.

The Impact of the Vacancy

The prolonged papal vacancy had serious consequences. Church governance was effectively paralysed, with no pope to confirm bishops, adjudicate disputes, or guide the Church through complex moral and political questions. Diplomacy between kingdoms suffered, papal appointments stalled, and the spiritual morale of the faithful began to fray.

The absence of a pope for nearly three years was not just an administrative crisis — it was a profound spiritual concern for the Christian world.

The Citizens of Viterbo Take Action

Frustrated by the delay and the apparent unwillingness of the cardinals to come to an agreement, the local authorities in Viterbo took dramatic action. In June 1270, they locked the cardinals inside the episcopal palace, confining them until a pope was elected — a practice that would later become standard.

When that still failed to break the deadlock, they removed the palace roof, exposing the cardinals to the weather, and even began reducing their food rations. These extreme measures were intended to pressure the cardinals into swift resolution and became the foundation of the modern conclave (cum clave, Latin for “with a key”).

A Decision at Last: Gregory X

Finally, after 1,006 days, the cardinals reached an unprecedented decision: they delegated the election to a committee of six cardinals, chosen to represent the various factions. On 1 September 1271, the committee elected Teobaldo Visconti, a respected cleric who was not even a cardinal — at the time, he was serving as the Archdeacon of Liège and was on crusade in the Holy Land.

Visconti accepted the election and took the name Pope Gregory X. His acceptance ended the longest papal interregnum in Church history.

The Second Council of Lyon and Ubi Periculum

Pope Gregory X was keenly aware of the dysfunction he had been called to resolve. In 1274, he convened the Second Council of Lyon, where he issued a landmark decree titled Ubi periculum (“Where there is danger”). This decree formally established rules for future papal elections:

Seclusion of cardinals: All cardinals were to be enclosed during a conclave, with no contact with the outside world.
Gradual reduction in food: After three days without a decision, meals were limited; after eight days, only bread, wine, and water were permitted.
No external interference: Secular leaders were strictly forbidden from influencing the election process.
No campaigning: Cardinals were prohibited from forming factions or negotiating votes.

These reforms were not only practical but deeply spiritual — aiming to refocus the conclave on discernment through prayer rather than political intrigue.

Later Developments in Conclave Procedures

Although Ubi periculum formed the foundation of modern conclave practices, later popes made significant updates. The Council of Constance (1414–1418) sought to end the Western Schism by modifying election rules to address competing papal claims. In 1621, Pope Gregory XV further refined the process by introducing secret ballots and codifying the procedures in Aeterni Patris Filius.

More recently, Pope John Paul II updated the process with his 1996 Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, which governs the conclave procedures used today — including those used in the elections of Popes Benedict XVI and Francis. These modern rules continue to reflect the balance of tradition, urgency, and prayerful discernment that Gregory X first championed.

Why It Still Matters

The conclave of 1268–1271 serves as a powerful reminder of what happens when human politics supersede the divine call to service. Gregory X’s reforms were not just policy decisions — they were a return to the heart of the Church’s mission: to seek God’s will in all things, especially in choosing His earthly shepherd.

In every conclave since, from the Renaissance to modern times, the legacy of the longest conclave has endured. It taught the Church the hard lesson that unity, humility, and trust in the Holy Spirit must guide those chosen to lead.