Tidbit

The New York Times on the history of the Vatican conclave:

"During a 13th-century conclave in Viterbo, Italy, one that might best be described as interminable (it lasted almost three years), the townspeople finally got fed up. They removed the palace roof to expose the cardinals to the elements, and sent in only bread and water. The deadlock quickly broke, and a layman was elected Pope Gregory X; he accomplished much in his five-year reign. "

[Story: "Even Cardinals are Prone to Peer Pressure"]