One of the more interesting things to happen after Pope Francis died is that the movie “Conclave”, which came out last year, has had millions of new viewers online.

The film directed by Edward Berger – and starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini – looks at the intrigue and infighting occurring during the election of a new pope.

Although the movie isn’t very accurate, it highlights the fact that conspiracy theories abound when a conclave is about to take place.

A conclave brings to together the cardinals under 80 who are allowed to vote for a pope. Famously, they are mostly sealed in the Sistine Chapel, and if a pope is elected, white smoke will appear at the Vatican. If the pope isn’t elected, the black smoke is seen in the air. A cardinal needs a two-thirds majority to win, although the current regulations state that falls to 50 percent plus-one after it starts taking too long.

On Monday, it was announced it would start on Wednesday, May 7. Leading to new conspiracies arising.

Raymond Arroyo said on X – formally known as Twitter – the “delayed start suggests that the Cardinals are asserting their authority over the Vatican insiders who were hoping for an expedited Conclave.”

Austen Ivereigh, famous for his work on Pope Francis, responded by saying, “What tosh.”

“Every cardinal I’ve spoken to says they need more time to get to know other. In the end they’re only starting one day later than regulations allowed, and four days before they had to. The conclave is expected to last the usual two days. Do not trust Arroyo’s fictions,” he said.

Then Ed Condon of The Pillar, and a canon lawyer, threw in his remarks.

“I’m seeing a lot of nonsense about May 7 being a ‘delayed start’ for the conclave and some kind of procedural power play.  That’s just rubbish. UDG states ‘from the moment when the Apostolic See is lawfully vacant, fifteen full days must elapse before the Conclave begins,’” he writes on X.

However, Arroyo points out that Pope Benedict changed the law, stating the conclave could begin earlier, if the voting cardinals had all arrived in Rome.

“I thought my recollections were correct. Benedict XVI DID amend the rules of Conclave allowing the Cardinals to move the start of the Conclave up if all the electors are present. So the intention of some to start the Conclave on May 4 or 5 was a possibility. But I am relieved they have more time to talk and get acquainted,” he wrote.

This was just on the day they announced when the Conclave was taking place: Journalists will be scouring the city of Rome – and the neighboring towns – to see who is speaking to whom, which person is paying for the wine, and what plots are supposedly taking place.

Are the progressives on top? Will the conservatives stage a comeback? Will the Church see a second pontiff from outside Europe? These stories are usually made up, or at least “configured” with limited data.

This is not to say the cardinals are not speaking about who they want to be the next pope; of course they are. But Pope Francis was 88-years-old when died, so any real intrigue has been taking place for years, and anything taking place now is just adding in the details. Most of the talks aimed at the “undecided” – and there are many cardinals unsure of who they want to succeed Francis – are taking place publicly, in the formal reflections given to the cardinals and the homilies at the Novemdiales Masses being said for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis.

So take the media hype with a grain of salt.

With that in mind, I will just add my two cents on why I think the Conclave is starting on May 7.

May 1 is one of the biggest holidays in Italy, and the city of Rome shuts down. This year, it is on a Thursday, meaning that before the pontiff died, many Italians had already decided to take a vacation day on the Friday and Monday following – this gives them a five-day weekend while only using two vacation days.

Of course, Vatican employees and reporters had to cancel their days off, but other city workers – including many providing food and hotel supplies – aren’t going to be working. Tuesday the 6^th will be a return to normality, but probably a slow return. A May 7 start was the only way the cardinals could ensure a suitable dinner the first night.

But again, I might just be pouring some salt on the story.

Follow Charles Collins on X: @CharlesinRome