Vatican staff must take oath of secrecy — or face Church’s gravest punishment — ahead ...

Everyone from cooks to translators to elevator operators took an oath of secrecy at the Vatican on Monday — under threat of automatic excommunication — to prepare for this week’s conclave. Workers and clerics assisting the dozens of Catholic cardinals set to gather Wednesday to begin voting on the next pope had to swear to never reveal anything about the proceedings or else risk the Church’s gravest punishment: religious banishment....