Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Account of the Conclave That Changed History

Title: Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Account of the Conclave That Changed History
Author: Gerard O'Connell
ISBN: 9781626983199
Publisher: Orbis Books
Published: 2019
Binding: Paperback
Language: English
Edition: First Edition, First Printing
Number of Pages: 336
Condition Note: Clean, unmarked copy with some edge wear. Good binding. Dust jacket included if issued with one. We ship in recyclable American-made mailers. 100% money-back guarantee on all orders.
Publisher Description: * Winner of the Illumination Book Award - Gold, Catholic Studies

* Winner of the The Association of Catholic Publishers Excellence Award 3rd Place, General Interest

*Advance Praise & Reviews* "An engrossing, well-researched chronicle of the conclave that brought a new tone and direction to the Catholic Church."― Publishers Weekly

The selection of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires in the papal election of 2013 made history in several ways: he was the first Latin American, the first Jesuit, and the first pope to choose the name Francis. But these "firsts" were only the beginning of a consequential papacy of historic proportions. Entering the conclave of 2013, Cardinal Bergoglio appeared on few lists of likely candidates. How then did his election come about?

Written by a top Vatican journalist, this book is an inside, day-by-day account of the process that began with Pope Benedict XVI's surprising decision to retire and continued up to Pope Francis's election and installation. Gerard O'Connell and his wife―herself a Vatican correspondent from Argentina―had befriended Bergoglio years before and were among the very few journalists who predicted his election. Now, relying on extensive inside sources, he reveals the basis for that confidence and shares with us what actually happened inside the secret conclave.