Conclave

Lomeli calls immediately for the third ballot. He votes once again for Bellini, though Bellini is crestfallen by his weak performance in the second ballot. Lomeli spends the rest of the ballot contemplating The Last Judgment, a sense of disaster looming over him.

The results of the third ballot maintain Adeyemi’s overwhelming lead, placing him only a few votes shy of the papacy. Tremblay passes Bellini to claim third place. Lomeli predicts that Adeyemi will win.

Lomeli comments on the murderous expression on God’s face in Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco. Bellini’s supporters discuss the upsetting results of the two ballots. When Sabbadin makes a racist remark about Adeyemi, Bellini silences him.

At lunch, an altercation occurs between Adeyemi and one of the nuns serving the meal. Three African cardinals report that the nun provoked Adeyemi to get his attention. Lomeli follows the nun into the kitchen to investigate. Sister Agnes tries to prevent Lomeli from confronting her, but Lomeli insists. In private, Lomeli offers to hear the confession of the nun, whose name is Shanumi.

Lomeli confronts Adeyemi over sexually abusing Shanumi when he was her parish priest in Nigeria. Adeyemi fathered Sister Shanumi’s child, though the cardinal denies it, citing the child’s upbringing in a supportive Christian household. Sometime around the child’s birth, Adeyemi was transferred to another parish. Sister Shanumi did not see him again until she was assigned to serve at the Casa Santa Marta. There she could not help confronting him to acknowledge their child.

Lomeli indicates that all hopes of Adeyemi becoming pope are lost, now that rumors are beginning to spread through the college. He later informs Adeyemi’s supporters that the cardinal will be resigning from office, confirming their worst suspicions. Reflecting on his conversation with Sister Shanumi, Lomeli remains puzzled by the mystery of her assignment to Rome. She was personally requested, implying that someone at the Vatican handpicked her. Sister Shanumi assumed that Adeyemi was the one who made her appointment.

At the fourth ballot, Lomeli votes again for Bellini. Tedesco returns to the lead. Adeyemi falls back to second place, though he is closely followed by Tremblay. Bellini, Lomeli, and Benítez maintain their weak positions in fourth, fifth, and sixth places, respectively. They immediately proceed to the next ballot.

Past conclaves have historically ended by the fourth or fifth ballot. Lomeli does not expect this to be the case as the shifting tides of the previous ballots point to a divisive vote. Bellini’s affinity with the late pope, who disappointed traditionalists and liberals alike, disadvantages him, but Lomeli does not change his vote in the next round. He knows, however, that if the vote comes to a showdown between Tremblay and Tedesco, he will have to vote for Tremblay.

Tremblay upsets the vote, emerging with a slight lead over Tedesco. Bellini and Lomeli narrowly overtake Adeyemi, who falls to fifth place.

After the ballots are burned, O’Malley encourages Lomeli to continue investigating Tremblay. Lomeli is reluctant, believing it will turn into a witch hunt. He also doubts the late pope’s suspicions of Tremblay, believing that the pope became paranoid in his last days. This extends to the secrecy around Benítez. O’Malley offers to look further into Benítez’s medical history to ascertain the facts of his appointment, but Lomeli declines. 

Lomeli meditates in his room but is interrupted by a visit from Bellini and Sabbadin. They suggest that since neither Bellini nor Lomeli have a solid chance of being elected, they should back Tremblay instead. Sabbadin stresses that Tremblay is a preferable alternative to Tedesco, forcing Lomeli to reveal what he knows about Tremblay’s dismissal. Sabbadin argues that every cardinal has some sin to account for and that what matters is the intention to serve the Church’s ideals. Lomeli relents before raising Benítez’s name in the discussion. He offers to speak to him that evening.

Lomeli visits with Benítez while he gets ready for dinner. He notices how young Benítez seems for someone entering his 70s. Lomeli broaches the idea of Benítez giving his vote to Tremblay, worrying that the prolonged conclave will damage the Church’s integrity. Benítez expresses his confusion, considering that Lomeli criticized Tremblay for his ambition. Benítez challenges Lomeli to value his oath at the conclave over the institution of the Church. Benítez sees the Holy Spirit not in the Church leadership but in the lives of those who have survived abjection in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Lomeli denies that he has broken his oath. Benítez remains firm on his decision to vote according to his conscience, frustrating Lomeli. Benítez invites him to dinner. As they leave the room, Lomeli observes that Benítez has used all but one of his toiletries—his razor.