What to see and read about the Vatican
The tension between the heavenly and earthly concerns of Catholic officials makes for good stories
Global reach, giant egos, great wealth: to the sceptical eye, Hollywood studios have much in common with the Vatican. So it is hardly a miracle that papal politics regularly inspire storytellers. “Conclave”, directed by Edward Berger and adapted from Robert Harris’s novel, is the latest drama to make fiction out of warring factions as rival cardinals gather to elect a new pope. It joins a packed congregation of Vatican-themed novels and films. “Since God has given us the papacy, let us enjoy it,” Pope Leo X supposedly said—and there is much to enjoy in the following titles.
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