On the parallels between The Great Western Schism and The 1958 Conclave

Rafael Centeio

One of the parallels that MHFM points out between the Great Western Schism and the period after the death of Pius XII is that in both cases there is an antipope who took the name of John XXIII, who reigned from Rome and summoned a false council in the third year of his anti-pontificate.  The parallel is striking.  Perhaps you already noticed, but there are at least four other parallels between the two periods that in my opinion cannot be of coincidence:

1958 Conclave - «On the fourth ballot, according to FBI sources, Siri again obtained the necessary votes and was elected supreme pontiff. But the French cardinals annulled the results, claiming that the election would cause widespread riots and the assassination of several prominent bishops behind the Iron Curtain [Communist Soviet Union].» (Paul L. Williams, The Vatican Exposed, Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2003, pp. 90-92. quoted in: The Cardinal Siri Election in Brief )

Great Western Schism - «… the Cardinals, dreading to inform them [the crowd] of the election of Prignano [Urban VI]… persuaded the aged Cardinal Tibaldeschi to put on the Papal Insignia and allow the populace to greet him.» (The History of the Popes, Vol. I, Book I, p. 118-119)

1958 Conclave - «Clouds of smoke were caught in search lights trained on the Sistine Chapel chimney. ‘Bianco! Bianco!’ roared many in the crowd. ‘White, white.’ (…) Chigi...  told newsmen later he would arrange to have the cardinals informed of Sunday’s smoke confusion in the hope that something can be done to remedy the situation Monday.» (The Houston Post, October 27, 1958, Section 1, pages 1 & 7)

Great Western Shism - «On the 20th September they informed the astonished world that the true Pope had been chosen in the person of Robert of Geneva, now Clement VII.» (The History of the Popes, p. 127)

1958 Conclave -  «… but something strange had occurred inside the Sistine Chapel which prevented the newly elected Pope from appearing, and which left the crowd – and the waiting world – confused and bewildered.  It was only two days later that Angelo Roncalli [John XXIII] was elected.» (MHFM — The Cardinal Siri Election in Brief )