Although the Vatican does not release precise numbers, staging a conclave—the centuries-long tradition of electing a new pope—is an expensive and highly produced affair. From renting the Sistine Chapel to accommodating and feeding more than a hundred cardinals, the logistical requirements are enormous and costly.
Security in itself is a huge cost. The whole Vatican City is put under strict lockdown, with sophisticated anti-surveillance equipment installed to keep things under wraps. The Sistine Chapel is altered with a temporary floor and the installation of a special stove for ballot burning—details that need accuracy and funds.
Along with the cardinals’ housing, translators, medical personnel, and support staff need to be called in. Accommodations are offered in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, a Vatican guesthouse, and full-service amenities are needed during the conclave. Even the ceremonial aspects—vestments, ballots—are custom-made for the occasion.
While unofficial reports put the overall cost at several million dollars, the Vatican sees it as an investment in Church perpetuity sacred to them. For an organization that does not often see a change in leadership, the conclave is as much a matter of symbolism and world unity as it is about process.
