Inside the conclave: How the Americas paved the way to Pope Leo XIV

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Three conclaves set the stage for the moment when Pope Leo XIV stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, stunning the world as the first U.S.-born pontiff elected in just four ballots: the conclave depicted in the quiet Oscar-nominated movie; the conclave envisioned by the media frenzy; and the actual secret votes of a College of Cardinals who barely knew each other. The first, the award-winning movie “Conclave” starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci,…