By GIADA ZAMPANO

VATICAN CITY (AP) — “Conclave” the film may have introduced moviegoers to the spectacular ritual and drama of a modern conclave, but the periodic voting to elect a new pope has been going on for centuries and created a whole genre of historical trivia.

Here are some facts about conclaves past, derived from historical studies including Miles Pattenden’s “Electing the Pope in Early Modern Italy, 1450–1700,” and interviews with experts including Elena Cangiano, an archeologist at Viterbo’s Palazzo dei Papi (Palace of the Popes).

The longest conclave in history

In the 13th century, it took almost three years — 1,006 days to be exact — to choose Pope Clement IV’s successor, making it the longest conclave in the Catholic Church’s history. It’s also where the term conclave comes from — “under lock and key,” because the cardinals who were meeting in Viterbo, north of Rome, took so long the town’s frustrated citizens locked them in the room.

The secret vote that elected Pope Gregory X lasted from November 1268 to September 1271. It was the first example of a papal election by “compromise,” after a long struggle between supporters of two main geopolitical medieval factions — those faithful to the papacy and those supporting the Holy Roman Empire.

‘One meal a day’ rule

Gregory X was elected only after Viterbo residents tore the roof off the building where the prelates were staying and restricted their meals to bread and water to pressure them to come to a conclusion. Hoping to avoid a repeat, Gregory X decreed in 1274 that cardinals would only get “one meal a day” if the conclave stretched beyond three days, and only “bread, water and wine” if it went beyond eight. That restriction has been dropped.

The shortest conclave ever

Before 1274, there were times when a pope was elected the same day as the death of his predecessor. After that, however, the church decided to wait at least 10 days before the first vote. Later that was extended to 15 days to give all cardinals time to get to Rome. The quickest conclave observing the 10-day wait rule appears to have been the 1503 election of Pope Julius II, who was elected in just a few hours, according to Vatican historian Ambrogio Piazzoni. In more recent times, Pope Francis was elected in 2013 on the fifth ballot, Benedict XVI won in 2005 on the fourth and Pope Pius XII won on the third in 1939.

The first conclave in the Sistine Chapel

The first conclave held in the Sistine Chapel was in 1492. Since 1878, the chapel — renowned for its iconic Michelangelo’s frescoes — has become the venue of all conclaves. “Everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged,” St. John Paul II wrote in his 1996 document regulating the conclave, “Universi Dominici Gregis.” The cardinals sleep a short distance away in the nearby Domus Santa Marta hotel or a nearby residence.

The alternative locations

Most conclaves were held in Rome, with some taking place outside the Vatican walls. Four were held in the Pauline Chapel of the papal residence at the Quirinale Palace, while some 30 others were held in St. John Lateran Basilica, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva or other places in Rome. On 15 occasions they took place outside Rome and the Vatican altogether, including in Viterbo, Perugia, Arezzo and Venice in Italy, and Konstanz, Germany, and Lyon, France.

The alternative popes, or antipopes

Between 1378-1417, referred to by historians as the Western Schism, there were rival claimants to the title of pope. The schism produced multiple papal contenders, the so-called antipopes, splitting the Catholic Church for nearly 40 years. The most prominent antipopes during the Western Schism were Clement VII, Benedict XIII, Alexander V, and John XXIII. The schism was ultimately resolved by the Council of Constance in 1417, which led to the election of Martin V, a universally accepted pontiff.

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A challenge to personal hygiene

The cloistered nature of the conclave posed another challenge for cardinals: staying healthy. Before the Domus Santa Marta guest house was built in 1996, cardinal electors slept on cots in rooms connected to the Sistine Chapel. Conclaves in the 16th and 17th centuries were described as “disgusting” and “badly smelling,” with concern about disease outbreaks, particularly in summer, according to historian Miles Pattenden. “The cardinals simply had to have a more regular and comfortable way of living because they were old men, many of them with quite advanced disease,” Pattenden wrote. The enclosed space and lack of ventilation further aggravated these issues. Some of the electors left the conclave sick, often seriously.

Vow of secrecy

Initially, papal elections weren’t as secretive, but concerns about political interference soared during the longest conclave in Viterbo. Gregory X decreed that cardinal electors should be locked in seclusion, “cum clave” (with a key), until a new pope was chosen. The purpose was to create a totally secluded environment where the cardinals could focus on their task, guided by God’s will, without any political interference or distractions. Over the centuries, various popes have modified and reinforced the rules surrounding the conclave, emphasizing the importance of secrecy.

Youngest pope, oldest pope

Pope John XII was just 18 when he was elected in 955. The oldest popes were Pope Celestine III (elected in 1191) and Celestine V (elected in 1294) who were both nearly 85. Benedict XVI was 78 when he was elected in 2005.

A non-cardinal pope and non-Italian pope

There is no requirement that a pope be a cardinal, but that has been the case for centuries. The last time a pope was elected who wasn’t a cardinal was Urban VI in 1378. He was a monk and archbishop of Bari. While the Italians have had a stranglehold on the papacy over centuries, there have been many exceptions aside from John Paul II (Polish in 1978) and Benedict XVI (German in 2005) and Francis (Argentine in 2013). Alexander VI, elected in 1492, was Spanish; Gregory III, elected in 731, was Syrian; Adrian VI, elected in 1522, was from the Netherlands.

By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Tim Friede has been bitten by snakes hundreds of times — often on purpose. Now scientists are studying his blood in hopes of creating a better treatment for snake bites.

Friede has long had a fascination with reptiles and other venomous creatures. He used to milk scorpions’ and spiders’ venom as a hobby and kept dozens of snakes at his Wisconsin home.

Hoping to protect himself from snake bites — and out of what he calls “simple curiosity” — he began injecting himself with small doses of snake venom and then slowly increased the amount to try to build up tolerance. He would then let snakes bite him.

“At first, it was very scary,” Friede said. “But the more you do it, the better you get at it, the more calm you become with it.”

This photo provided by Centivax shows Mark Bellin and Hannah Hirou who are involved in efforts to produce an antivenom to counteract the bites of various snakes, at a lab in South San Francisco, Calif., in 2025. (Centivax via AP)

While no doctor or emergency medical technician — or anyone, really — would ever suggest this is a remotely good idea, experts say his method tracks how the body works. When the immune system is exposed to the toxins in snake venom, it develops antibodies that can neutralize the poison. If it’s a small amount of venom the body can react before it’s overwhelmed. And if it’s venom the body has seen before, it can react more quickly and handle larger exposures.

Friede has withstood snakebites and injections for nearly two decades and still has a refrigerator full of venom. In videos posted to his YouTube channel, he shows off swollen fang marks on his arms from black mamba, taipan and water cobra bites.

“I wanted to push the limits as close to death as possible to where I’m just basically teetering right there and then back off of it,” he said.

But Friede also wanted to help. He emailed every scientist he could find, asking them to study the tolerance he’d built up.

In this photo provided by Centivax, Tim Friede, center, stands in a lab in South San Francisco, Calif., in 2023, that is using his blood to prepare an antivenom to the bites of various snakes. (Centivax via AP)

And there is a need: Around 110,000 people die from snakebite every year, according to the World Health Organization. And making antivenom is expensive and difficult. It is often created by injecting large mammals like horses with venom and collecting the antibodies they produce. These antivenoms are usually only effective against specific snake species, and can sometimes produce bad reactions due to their nonhuman origins.

When Columbia University’s Peter Kwong heard of Friede, he said, “Oh, wow, this is very unusual. We had a very special individual with amazing antibodies that he created over 18 years.”

In a study published Friday in the journal Cell, Kwong and collaborators shared what they were able to do with Friede’s unique blood: They identified two antibodies that neutralize venom from many different snake species with the aim of someday producing a treatment that could offer broad protection.

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It’s very early research — the antivenom was only tested in mice, and researchers are still years away from human trials. And while their experimental treatment shows promise against the group of snakes that include mambas and cobras, it’s not effective against vipers, which include snakes like rattlers.

“Despite the promise, there is much work to do,” said Nicholas Casewell, a snakebite researcher at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in an email. Casewell was not involved with the new study.

Friede’s journey has not been without its missteps. Among them: He said after one bad snake bite he had to cut off part of his finger. And some particularly nasty cobra bites sent him to the hospital.

Friede is now employed by Centivax, a company trying to develop the treatment and that helped pay for the study. He’s excited that his 18-year odyssey could one day save lives from snakebite, but his message to those inspired to follow in his footsteps is simple: “Don’t do it,” he said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By SAM MEDNICK and RENATA BRITO

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Drones attacked a vessel carrying aid to Gaza on Friday in international waters off Malta, the group organizing the shipment said. A fire broke out but was brought under control, authorities said.

A nearby tugboat responded to a distress call from the Conscience, which was carrying 12 crew members and four civilians, Malta’s government said, adding that those aboard refused to leave the ship. The group was safe and no injuries were reported, it said.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel of attacking its ship. The group did not provide evidence for that claim or to show that the fire was caused by drones, but in a video it shared an explosion could be heard. Another video showed a fire blazing.

The Israeli army did not respond to a request for comment.

Video from aboard the Conscience appeared to show at least two large holes in the deck, with thick smoke surrounding the ship. The person recording the footage said the vessel had just been hit twice and was on fire about 14 miles from port in Malta. The video was provided by Codepink, a grassroots peace and social justice movement.

Israel has cut off Gaza from all imports, including food and medicine, since the beginning of March, leading to what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in nearly 19 months of war with Hamas, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Israel says the blockade is an attempt to pressure the Palestinian group to release hostages it took during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the conflict. Hamas-led terrorists attacked southern Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

In response, Israel launched an offensive that has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. Israel’s bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of the territory and left most of its population homeless.

When an aid flotilla attempted to break a blockade of Gaza in 2010, Israeli forces stormed a Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara, killing nine people on board.

On Friday, the Conscience was hit about 16 miles (26 kilometers) from Malta, according to the Freedom Flotilla.

Charlie Andreasson, who has been involved with the group for more than a decade, told The Associated Press that he had spoken to people on board who said there were two explosions and that a fire broke out.

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Photos provided by the Cypriot authorities showed the ship with damage to its side. No one aboard the vessel could immediately be reached for comment.

Earlier the group said the strike appeared to have targeted the ship’s generator, causing a “substantial breach in the hull” and leaving it without power. It said that put the vessel at risk of sinking.

According to the ship-monitoring website Marine Traffic, the Conscience left the Tunisian port of Bizerte on Tuesday and arrived Thursday morning in the area where it reported being attacked. The organizers said the ship was hit Friday, just after midnight.

Volunteers who had traveled to Malta were meant to board the ship to go to Gaza, the group said. Andreasson said climate activist Greta Thunberg was supposed to have participated. The organization said Thunberg did not board and was safe.

About two dozen volunteers, including Thunberg, were taking smaller boats to the Conscience to assess the damage after the attack, said Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Codepink. Benjamin said the ship’s crew are from Turkey and Azerbaijan.

“They still want to head toward Gaza, but I don’t know what shape the ship is in,” she said.

The attack happened as aid groups have warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is on the verge of collapse.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Friday that it will not have access to food, medicine and life-saving supplies needed for many of its Gaza programs if aid deliveries don’t resume immediately.

Programs at risk include “common kitchens” that often give residents the only meal they receive each day and could be forced to halt operations in a few weeks, the ICRC said.

“Aid must be allowed to enter Gaza. Hostages must be released. Civilians must be protected,” the committee said. “Without immediate action, Gaza will descend further into chaos that humanitarian efforts will not be able to mitigate.”

Brito contributed from Barcelona, Spain. Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel; Giada Zampano in Rome; Kevin Schembri Orland in St. Julian’s, Malta; Colleen Barry in Soave, Italy; Elena Becatoros and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem; Jamey Keaten in Geneva; Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus; and Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

In conducting his first full-length opera in concert with the Minnesota Orchestra, music director Thomas Søndergård has pulled off a stunner, with fireworks singing from not only a terrific host of soloists but also the wonderful Minnesota Chorale and Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs. The performance of Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot,” set to a libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni, ravishes with its musical delights, and the story comes through even without sets, costumes, and staging.

In a fully staged opera production, the musicians are often hidden away in the pit, and even the chorus sometimes ends up behind the wings, leaving the main playing area for the lead singers. With Minnesota Orchestra’s concert version of “Turandot,” the instrumentalists, choral singers and soloist singers all share their stage together. The format in effect puts the music center stage, which is probably for the best with this particular opera.

First premiered in 1926, “Turandot” is set in China, and centers on a beautiful princess who will only marry a suitor of noble birth who can solve three riddles. If they try and fail, they face execution. She meets her match with Prince Calaf, the son of deposed King Timur, who falls in love with her at first sight.

In creating the music, Puccini borrowed heavily from Chinese music that he had researched and appropriated into his own style. The opera employs caricature character names like Ping, Pang and Pong and uses flourishes in the music that if not actually Chinese sound like European ideas of what Chinese music sounds like. On top of that, the opera has historically employed racist makeup and costumes.

The concert version lessens the cringe factor of Puccini’s Orientalist tendencies. With no costumes or makeup, the chances of yellow face are thankfully eradicated. The music itself contains appropriative leanings throughout the score, yet without the trappings of garish costume choices, the Asian influence in Puccini’s music can be understood as a kind of appreciation.

The choral singers in the concert pull of a commendable performance. From their first moment they command the hall with a formidable sound, and throughout the evening they add a richness to the music. In one shocking moment at the climax of the story, they practically scream, creating an astoundingly dramatic moment.

Having Christine Goerke in the Twin Cities to play the title role is a treat. She played the role at the Metropolitan Opera, and knows the character well and even without blocking is able to act each moment with her facial expressions and gestures. Her Wagnerian voice, meanwhile, is unstoppable. It’s a full-throttle wonder, tapping every resonator available and piercing through the sound of the full orchestra and chorus with angelic power.

Mané Galoyan is a replacement performer, announced as stepping into the role of Liu, the servant of Timur who secretly loves Calaf, less than two weeks ago. You wouldn’t know she was added to the cast so recently, however. Her ethereal voice made a strong impression Thursday evening, when the audience erupted after her aria in the first act.

As Calaf, Limmie Pulliam employed a music stand — which is a common practice for a vocal soloist in a concert setting. However, because Goerke performed off-book and put a lot of acting into her performance, sometimes their interactions weren’t as theatrical than if they had both been singing without sheet music. Musically, they did find a lovely sound together, and Pulliam’s performance of the famous “Nessun Dorma” aria in the third act soared with emotion.

As for the orchestra itself, they triumphed performing not as accompaniment to the singing, but as a full partner in bringing the opera score to its full musical life.

Søndergård Conducts Puccini’s Turandot

When: 7 p.m. Saturday, May 3

Where: Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.

Tickets: $59-$140

Accessibility: minnesotaorchestra.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility

Capsule: Opera star Christine Goerke mesmerizes as “Turandot” in a production with The Minnesota Orchestra, the Minnesota Chorale, Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs, and other guest singers, conducted by Thomas Søndergård.

Info/tickets: Minnesotaorchestra.org

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