The last papal conclave, held in March 2013 to elect Pope Francis following Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, lasted just under two days. It began on March 12 and concluded on March 13, 2013, requiring five rounds of voting-one on the first day and four on the second-to reach a decision
. Historically, conclaves have varied widely in length, from a few hours to several years. The longest conclave in history lasted about 2 years and 9 months (1,006 days) in the 13th century, while modern conclaves typically last only a few days. For example, the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI lasted two days
. In recent times, conclaves usually conclude within two to three days, with the last few elections being relatively swift
