Representative of Christ: The appointment of this unique position is shrouded in mystery. Hubert Wolf reveals what happens behind the closed doors of the Vatican. He explains how the rules and rituals were established and clarifies the breaks from tradition, especially in recent times, that lie behind the facade of this ancient sacred act. No other election in the world is accompanied by such great public interest as the election of the Pope. Yet, the audience only sees the surface: the entrance of the cardinals into the conclave, the chimney of the Sistine Chapel from which black or finally white smoke rises, the presentation of the elected with the words "Habemus papam." This book explains what really happens: how the election unfolds in detail, from which moment the elected becomes Pope, why the conclave was invented, and how the cardinals come to it.