papal conclave, (from Latin cum clave, “with a key”), in the Roman Catholic Church, the assembly of cardinals gathered to elect a new pope and the system of strict seclusion to which they submit. The early history of papal elections remains unclear. There is some evidence that the early popes, including St. Peter, appointed their own successors, though this practice evidently failed to gain support. Subsequently the election of the bishop of Rome (the pope) mirrored the election process for bishops in other towns: the local clergy were the electors; neighbouring bishops acted as presidents of the assembly and judges