Vatican Scandal: Cardinal Caught with Cellphone During Secret Papal Conclave, Book Claims

The Vatican conclave scandal involving a cardinal caught with a cellphone during the election of Pope Leo XIV in May 2025 has been detailed in a new book titled 'The Election of Pope Leo XIV' by Vatican correspondents Gerard O'Connell and Elisabetta Piqué. According to the book, during the highly secret conclave held in the Sistine Chapel, security officials detected an active mobile signal despite jamming equipment designed to block external communications. This occurred as the 133 cardinals were preparing for their first ballot to elect the successor to Pope Francis. An older cardinal, described as 'disoriented and distressed,' was found to have a cellphone in his pocket and handed it over when confronted. The incident caused a brief halt to voting as the cardinals stared at each other in shock. The book does not name the cardinal involved or attribute any motive to the security breach. The authors described the incident as 'better than fiction' and 'unimaginable,' noting it surpassed dramatized events in the 2024 film 'Conclave.' Participants in papal conclaves vow to surrender all electronic devices and avoid outside contact, making this a major security breach unprecedented in modern Vatican history. The book, released on March 1, 2026, draws from interviews and diary entries to detail the election following Pope Francis's death. The Vatican press office has not officially commented on the incident. Philippine news outlets including GMA News provided coverage of the scandal, with GMA publishing an article on March 1, 2026 detailing the incident based on the book's revelations. The conclave ultimately elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who became Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope in history.