How long does the conclave last? Papal elections, ages and common names, explained

Most internal promotions don’t get this much attention. Most job selection processes don’t have centuries of history behind them — and few, if any, have a special name. 

But then, most job selections don’t end with a new pope. 

Catholic cardinals from around the world have converged on Vatican City for the conclave that will elect the successor to Pope Francis. The first day of of voting didn’t result in a pope, but if the pattern of the recent past holds, it won’t be long before one is announced. Data shows that conclaves don’t take as long as they used to. 

Conclaves were first used to elect a pope about eight centuries ago, with early elections lasting months, even years. 

It’s been nearly 200 years since a conclave took longer than a week, with modern conclaves typically taking two to three days.