Papal elections have surprising history

[UrbScotty]

VATICAN CITY -- One papal election held during a sizzling Roman summer had cardinals collapsing of dehydration and heart attacks. The top candidate eventually died, and the pope who emerged from a sweaty inferno worthy of Dante survived only 2 1/2 weeks.

Another vote dragged on for more than three years. It might have gone longer had exasperated citizens not torn the roof off the cardinals' meeting hall and put them on a bread and water diet.

Shrouded in secrecy and steeped in centuries of tradition, the ancient practice of appointing a successor to St. Peter is serious business -- but there's always the chance that things will get out of hand.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-pope-chaotic-conclaves,0,7260097.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

How would you like to be in THAT situation?

[Princess Turandot]

1. JP II may have erred in giving them better sleeping accomodations..

I kind of liked the image of them camping out in the Sistine Chapel!