It’s a different matter in the run-up to the conclave.
Officially, the cardinals are banned from commenting even now. But from the moment Pope Francis was buried, parts of the Italian press and many visitors turned cardinal-hunters, trying to suss out his most likely successor.
They have been scouring the tourist-filled restaurants and gelato joints around the Vatican, ready to speculate on any sightings and possible alliances.
“Wine and Rigatoni: the Cardinals’ Last Suppers”, was one headline in La Repubblica which described the “princes of the church” enjoying “good Roman lunches” before lockdown.
Reporters have then been grilling waiters on what they might have overheard.
“Nothing,” one of the servers at Roberto’s, a couple of streets back from St Peter’s, told me this week.
“They always go quiet whenever we get close.”
