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Following the death of Pope Francis, cardinals from around the world have gathered in the Vatican to proceed to the Conclave, and designate the new Pope revealed through the column of white smoke as a sacred symbol. This method by which the Catholic Church proceeds to designate the next Pope from among all the members of the College of Cardinals, forces the cardinals to lock themselves in the Sistine Chapel, forbidding them any contact with the outside world until the decision on the chosen successor has been made.
During the process, food becomes a religion, despite the fact that in the latter stages of the Conclave, which lasted almost three years, the cardinals were only fed bread and water in an attempt to speed up the appointment. Fortunately, this is no longer the norm, and the cardinals are now being fed decently.
Despite the oath of secrecy they take before the process begins, what we do know is that, during a conclave, all meals are prepared and eaten under close supervision. For the 2025 conclave, which will begin on 7 May, the local nuns will prepare simple dishes of regional cuisine, such as minestrone, spaghetti and arrosticini, or lamb kebabs, as well as boiled vegetables and other types of soup.