So today begins the conclave at the Vatican, which, for those who don't know, is a compound word in Italian or other Latin languages. It would be the preposition "Con" and the word "Clave," which means "with a key." This is because it took so long to agree on a new pope due to power struggles that they decided to lock the cardinals under lock and key until they reached an agreement. We should apply this principle to many parliaments today.
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I'm not at all religious, to be honest, but I've always been fascinated by the ability of these types of institutions to attract the public's attention. Most events and liturgies were created centuries ago, but they continue to attract people's attention better than any social media platform today. They turn a typical, boring meeting, where no one would want to be to elect a new leader, into a halo of mystery that keeps us all glued to chimneys, speculating about things we don't know.
