These are the 10 Best Pope Movies of All Time

With the death of Pope Francis today at age 88, the Vatican enters an infrequent but potent time of transition. Called the sede vacante (vacant seat in English), this period involves an empty papal office and the process to fill it.

Once the pope's death is certified, the senior cardinal takes temporary lead of the Vatican. While the cardinal holds office, the Vatican and the Catholic church undergo a period of mourning called the Papal Interregnum. It's a solemn but beautiful affair, and a compelling subject for movies.

Soon, the dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals will call a meeting of the 136 eligible Cardinals to vote for the next pope. The conclave puts forth their ballots, and in time, white smoke will waft from the Vatican rooftops to signal that a new Pope has been elected. The proceedings are steeped in ritual, symbolism, and history. They are also great fodder for movies. Many films allude to the Catholic church and the Pope, but some rise above and become the best of all time. Let's explore 10 of them.

Directed by Nanni Moretti, the film follows a newly elected pontiff who gets cold feet about taking control of the biggest church on earth. It stars Michel Piccoli as Cardinal Melville, who, once elected, has a debilitating panic attack and falls into a depression. The concerned College of Cardinals calls in a psychoanalyst (played by director Nanni Moretti) to help the new pontiff accept his important role.

The film explores a complicated process steeped in tradition, but does so with comic zest and a sense of lightheartedness. It eschews moralist themes, opting instead to personalize the pontiff. The film is as much about the picking of a new Pope as it is about perfectionism and crises of faith.

This film centers around a Roman Catholic priest named Kiril Lakota(played by Anthony Quinn). After spending decades in a Ukrainian slave labor camp, Lakota is freed by Russian leader Piotr Ilyich Kamenev(played by Laurence Olivier). Soon, Lakota finds himself on the world stage after being unexpectedly picked to fill the pontiff's seat. While the world brews with tension over the Cold War, Lakota uses his newfound power to offer a message of peace and compassion.

While the film gets lost in the weeds of subplots and other ephemera, "The Shoes of the Fisherman" uses an all-star cast to explore the role of religion in global conflict. With its emphasis on Ukraine, Russia, and the world at large, it remains surprisingly relevant.

Whereas other Pope-centric films explore the ritualistic bureaucracy of the Vatican, "Amen." focuses on the Nazi Regime. It follows a Nazi officer and Chemist who develops a method for disenfecting water. To his horror, however, he learns that his invention functions as a deadly chemical weapon. Seeking rectification, he approaches various diplomats and leaders, but just one priest takes him seriously. In turn, the priest takes the officer's concerns to the pontiff, only to be sidelined.

"Amen." is a compelling film, but it doesn't cast the Vatican in a favorable light. The Holocaust may be a well-tread territory, but the director Costa-Gavras finds a fascinating but haunting approach. The film raises heavy moral questions and speaks to the complicity of the highest echelons of European power in letting a genocide happen.

Based on the eponymous novel by Donna Woolfolk Cross, "Pope Joan" follows the fascinating transformation from peasant to pope. It centers on an Englishwoman living in ninth-century Germany who disguises herself as a man. Under this camouflage, she rises through the ranks of powerful positions before landing in the most powerful position of all: the Pope of the Catholic church.

"Pope Joan" provides a compelling glimpse at life and religion in the Middle Ages. It uses an apocryphal, if unlikely, story to explore the resilience and tenacity of one woman in a true rags-to-riches process. While the writing falls flat in certain parts, "Pope Joan" provides a moving story of faith and determination.

Based on the real story of Pope Benedict XVI's desire to abdicate the position, the film centers on a series of imagined conversations between him and the future Pope Francis. It explores faith, commitment, and demands on anyone leading the Catholic church. It's also one of the more recent movies to look at the inner workings of the Vatican.

Directed delicately by Fernando Meirelles, "The Two Popes" offers a measured but insightful look at faith and doubt. While undoubtedly propped up by incredible performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce (who bears a remarkable resemblance to Pope Francis), it has an almost buddy-cop comedy dynamic that provides levity without poking fun.

After a Harvard symbologist (played by Tom Hanks) discovers the resurgence of an ancient order called the Illuminati, he travels to the Vatican to warn the Cardinals of possible threats. While he's dismissed in short order, an Italian scientist believes his warning and follows him on an investigation of ancient symbols that, if understood correctly, will prevent the Illuminati from hatching a deadly plot against the Catholic Church.

Based on the massively successful novel of the same name by Dan Brown, "Angels & Demons" has blockbuster energy and a host of A-list names to help it shine. While thrilling and expertly paced, the film is more of a detective mystery than an exploration of the Vatican. Even still, it's an accessible, exciting look at the tendrils of ancient religious power.

This film follows King Henry II as he appoints his long-time collaborator Thomas Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury. Already at war with the Catholic church, King Henry II expects his confidant to comply with his schemes. Instead, Becket finds himself agreeing with the Catholic church, resulting in the Pope acting as a mediator between the church and an increasingly rebellious state.

"Becket" features some of the greatest actors of all time (Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton) and uses interpersonal relationships to explore the macro-dynamics of religion and state. True to history, it provides no satisfying conclusion, but it gives great insight into the religious power plays of historical figures.

Whereas other films on this list explore the process of becoming Pope, "The Godfather Part III" depicts the process of killing one. A continuation of the previous Godfather films, the third iteration explores the Italian mafia's scheme to use the instruments of Catholic power to make money and strike down anyone who stands in their way, even if it's the church's leader.

While The Godfather Part III is arguably the weakest film in the franchise, it succeeds by interweaving real-life events (the 1978 death ofPope John Paul Iand the 1981Papal banking scandal) with a compelling, if fictionalized, mafia rise to power story. Whereas earlier films in the franchise explored family dynamics, "The Godfather Part III" is strictly business.

Directed by Carol Reed and based on the eponymous novel by Irving Stone, "The Agony and the Ecstasy" centers around the complicated, if fruitful, relationship between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo as the famed painter and sculptor works on the Sistine Chapel.

What remains interesting about an older movie like "The Agony and the Ecstasy" is its exploration of artists and their patrons. It features bold performances by Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison, who spend the entire film in conflict, and provides a poised look at the creation of one of the greatest pieces of art in history. While polemical at times, it gives audiences one of the better depictions of a great artist at work.

The most recent film to explore the process of picking a Pope is "Conclave." Released less than a year ago, the film follows Cardinal Lawrence (played by Ralph Fiennes) as he runs the ritual of picking a pontiff after the unexpected death of the previous one. In the process, Lawrence discovers dark secrets that could s.

Conclave provides a crisp, visually compelling look at the process of picking the Pope. What starts as a bureaucratic procession quickly becomes a gripping murder mystery, full of intrigue, conspiracy, and backstabbing. The film uses its expert execution and stunning set design to explore the relationship between the message and the intent.