i think the peaks and valleys of attention and media coverage regarding the papacy revolve largely around what the pope does. the roman catholic church is a major player on the worldwide cultural stage and also in world politics. some popes do genuinely good things (kinda like princess diana did) (and we haven't seen one of these in a real f*cking long time) and those ones will get more coverage. some popes do really nasty sh*t though, and they'll get a lot of attention on the internet but slim to none in mainstream media. it's bad for business, and the church has got connections in the media. so, every time a new one is instated the people who feel the pope should guide them experience a sort of resurgence in terms of a unified effort to be divine (or something) in light of the fact that this new one stands a chance of not being a total piece of sh*t like the last one. technically, the church symbolizes something good, so i think its followers (and maybe some who aren't followers, if for no other reason than acknowledging the sheer power of the vatican and it's potential to do good) just get excited when a new door opens for "man to do right by god."
2 pennies in.
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