What Did the New Pope Do While Waiting for the Conclave? He Watched the Conclave Movie, of Course — Oh, and It Turns Out He's a Gamer
If you’ve ever wondered what a prospective Pope does to pass the time, wonder no more; according to a close family member, the recently elected Pope Leo XIV is just like us, playing games and watching movies in his downtime.
As we reported earlier this week, Edward Berger’s sensational papal thriller Conclave took moviegoers by storm last year, prompting some real-life religious leaders — including those who had participated in this week’s actual conclave to select a new Pope — to look to the film for guidance given its “remarkably accurate” portrayal of the process. That included Robert Francis Prevost, who’s just been elected as Pope Leo XIV.
Talking to NBC, the Pope’s older brother, John Prevost, shared details of his last conversation with his brother before he was appointed. In amongst talking about Wordle and Words with Friends — it’s true, Pope Leo XIV is a gamer; the brothers play the word games together every single day — the elder brother asked if his sibling had watched the movie Conclave for tips.
“He had just finished watching the movie Conclave,” Provost revealed. “So he knew how to behave. So, it’s that kind of stuff [that we talk about] — I just wanted to take his mind off of [the upcoming conclave]. Laugh about something.”
From director Edward Berger, the BAFTA and Oscar-winning Conclave follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events — selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church.
Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
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