From the longest and shortest elections to the origin of the required vow of secrecy, here are some facts about the centuries-old process.

Fans of the Oscar-nominated movie “Conclave,” which is about a papal election, might think they have a head start on what’s to come next week. But

As viewers of the film will know, the papal conclave will take place entirely behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel, beneath its world-famous Michelangelo frescoes. Nobody outside the confines of the Vatican will know the outcome until the plume of white smoke will curl from its chimney,