The “Papabili” in tech glory

Almost 5 years to the day, I took the family to a museum for an exhibit on Vatican Splendors. The kids were particularly interested in items from the Sistine Chapel we had visited a couple of years prior, especially the chalices where votes of the Papal Conclave are collected (including one below).

Today there is so much technology to explain the process and the artifacts as the 115 Cardinals start the papal conclave to evaluate the contenders - “the Papabili” .

The BBC is showing a virtual depiction of the Conclave process. So is CNN. The Guardian allows anyone to play "Fantasy Cardinal" and pick your Pope. Twitter is showing some of the thinking entering  the Conclave (for the first time - it was founded after the last Conclave in 2005). Google Earth has a virtual tour of Vatican City. Youtube has several virtual tours of the Sistine Chapel.

Ironically, there is no technology allowed in the Conclave itself. The Cardinals will leave their phones and laptops outside and the Chapel has been swept for bugs. Smoking chimneys and bells will still be used to announce the new Papa.