Healthy Meals Like Pasta and Fish Served
Menu Planned and Submitted by Nutritionist
During the conclave, the secret meeting of cardinals to elect the new pope, the cardinals?who were cut off from the outside world?were reportedly served meals designed to help reduce stress.
On the 7th (local time), cardinals gathered for the conclave to elect the next pope are praying at the Sistine Chapel. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
Recently, Catholic News Agency (CNA) and other outlets reported that Giorgio Calabrese, an Italian nutritionist and physician, planned the menu for the 133 cardinals during the conclave, focusing on dishes effective in lowering stress.
The 133 cardinals stayed at the Vatican guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta, starting from the opening of the conclave on the 7th. They were not allowed to possess mobile phones or similar devices and had to lead an isolated life, moving only between their accommodations and the Sistine Chapel until the new pope was elected.
Dr. Calabrese explained, "Since the cardinals need to concentrate on their work, their cortisol levels?the stress hormone?naturally rise. This phenomenon is especially pronounced among cardinals from English-speaking countries."
Accordingly, he recommended low-fat milk and toast with jam or honey for breakfast. For lunch, he suggested preparing light, quick-to-eat foods that would not put a strain on the body. Based on this, it is likely that the cardinals ate pasta with tomatoes and basil, grilled (not fried) lean meat or fish, and steamed or roasted vegetables.
After the voting sessions, the cardinals, exhausted, likely looked forward most to dinner. For dinner, they were reportedly served easily digestible foods such as cooked ham, smoked salmon or sardines, tuna without added oil or sauce, and cheese. Dr. Calabrese noted, "For stress relief, bacon, eggs, and meat are not ideal."
Dr. Calabrese allowed wine to be served but recommended limiting it to just one glass. He pointed out, "Strong alcoholic beverages put a burden on the liver and drain energy from the brain."
While ice cream is usually a common snack, it was reported that the cardinals were served fruit instead. Dr. Calabrese said, "If they were outside, they might have ice cream, but since they cannot go out, the nuns can provide fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries."
All chefs and food transporters responsible for the conclave meals reportedly signed confidentiality agreements. Therefore, the exact menu served to the cardinals is not known. Dr. Calabrese explained, "Based on the 'special conclave menu' submitted to the Vatican, the final food choices were likely made by the religious order running Casa Santa Marta."
However, it is known that the food was not particularly tasty. According to foreign media, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza from Italy complained about the conclave menu, saying it was "the kind of food you would expect at a train station."
In principle, dishes like rotisserie chicken, pies, or ravioli (Italian dumplings) are not served during the conclave. This is to prevent any possibility of hiding notes inside the food and leaking information about the voting process to the outside.
Meanwhile, with the election of Pope Leo XIV on the second day of the conclave, the cardinals were able to regain their freedom relatively early.
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