Papal intrigue an age-old tradition

The Vatican appears rocked by scandalous rumours and resignations just as church leaders must gear up to replace frail Pope Benedict XVI with a closed-door conclave.

But Vatican experts say if you think the world’s largest non-governmental institution is in unprecedented chaos right now, think again.

“Have you ever heard of the Borgias?” quipped professor Terrence Tilley, chairman of the theology department for Fordham University in New York.

They were the adulterous, murderous, election-rigging family of Renaissance popes “who ran the papacy for decades like a private fief”.

For all the sex, money and power headlines wafting out of Rome these days, at least no one has been murdered. Infighting and innuendo, though, are ancient traditions that have moved into the bright lights of the 24/7 news cycle and social media.

“It’s high season for reporting chaos,” Dr Tilley said. “There have always been rumours about money, power and sex in the Vatican. The question is not whether but how much. There’s a lot of smoke, right now.”

Benedict, at almost 86, is the first pope in 600 years to say he doesn’t have the strength to carry on and to resign.

He has changed the rules for picking his successor to speed up the vote in March, throwing the election speculation into overdrive.

“All the factions in the Vatican in Italy and in the church beyond are pulling out all the stops to try to influence the conclave,” Dr Tilley said.