Celebrating the first issue of The Guardian and the meeting of the French États Généraux on the brink of the revolution, as well as Sir Michael Palin's birthday
Can you give a source for your suggestion that Cardinal Martini secured more votes than Cardinal Ratzinger in the first ballot of the 2005 Conclave? If he had, he might well have been elected. The well regarded Vatican observer John Allen reckons in his book "The Rise of Benedict XVI" that Ratzinger received "something of the order of 40 votes" on the first ballot. Of Martini he says "There were also votes for Martini, though apparently not as many as reported in some media outlets". It is usual for votes to be widely scattered in the first round of a Conclave.
That Wikipedia entry also gives figures from the diary of an anonymous Cardinal which look much more credible. However, we will never know for certain!
Can you give a source for your suggestion that Cardinal Martini secured more votes than Cardinal Ratzinger in the first ballot of the 2005 Conclave? If he had, he might well have been elected. The well regarded Vatican observer John Allen reckons in his book "The Rise of Benedict XVI" that Ratzinger received "something of the order of 40 votes" on the first ballot. Of Martini he says "There were also votes for Martini, though apparently not as many as reported in some media outlets". It is usual for votes to be widely scattered in the first round of a Conclave.
The Wikipedia entry cites an Italian book which suggests Martini had 40 votes to Ratzinger’s 38.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_papal_conclave
That Wikipedia entry also gives figures from the diary of an anonymous Cardinal which look much more credible. However, we will never know for certain!