“Although we Sisters are supposed to be invisible, God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears,” says Sister Agnes (Isabella Rossellini) in the movie Conclave. And noses! Let’s not forget noses.

To be clear, Conclave is fiction — a film (directed by Edward Berger, 2024) based on a novel by Robert Harris. As a woman with a Catholic upbringing and eight years of Catholic education behind me, I watched it with great interest — not just because it includes some of my favorite actors (La Rossellini! Ralph Fiennes! Stanley Tucci!) but because I wanted to see how it portrays this infrequent and highly secretive occasion, the gathering of the College of Cardinals in Rome to elect a new Pope.

I’m sure there are some inaccuracies in the movie’s depiction of the papal transition. (Here’s an article on that subject, with quotes from theological experts, from AP News.) I thought, however, it did a brilliant job of conveying the visual and (and other sensorial) aspects of Catholic worship in the seat of the Vatican, from the clerical garments to the opulent tapestries and frescoes to the elaborate marble architecture that provides backdrops to all the formal ceremonies and private conversations. (Not to mention the story’s handling of the characters’ humanity, including their tendencies towards ambition, arrogance, deception, etc. You could probably spot all the Seven Deadly Sins on parade, if you looked closely enough. At the same time, other characters acted as “better angels” to the plot.)

In any case: back to smell! I’ve thought about perfume and Catholicism before, from this post about fragrances to wear to the exhibition Heavenly Bodies at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2018) to my scent tours of Andy Warhol: Revelation at the Brooklyn Museum (2022). Here are a few more suggestions, in case you’re looking for an olfactory boost to your perusal of the upcoming (non-fictional) conclave news coverage. I hope Pope Francis (the recent, real-life pontiff!) wouldn’t have taken offense to this light-hearted post. (I don’t think he would have.)

UNUM LAVS by Filippo Sorcinelli (2013): My colleague Kevin at Now Smell This wrote, back in 2016, “Sorcinelli has made vestments for Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, and before delivery, these vestments were scented with what is now the perfume LAVS.” So, its inclusion here is pretty self-explanatory, right? The name, “laus,” is the Latin word for “praise.” Notes for this composition: black pepper, cardamom, jasmine, elemi, labdanum, cloves, coriander, opoponax, oakmoss, rosewood, amber, and tonka bean.

Comme des Garçons Avignon, from Series 3 (Incense) (Bertrand Duchaufour, 2002): Robin of NST herself said, “Avignon in the south of France was historically an important center of religious activity within the Catholic Church, and was the Papal seat for part of the 14th century. . . . Avignon [by CdG] starts dark, gloomy, and rather strong, approximating the immediate effect of a priest swinging the censer during prayers.” It’s a classic niche fragrance, a benchmark for incense perfumes. Amy Sedaris and Sarah Jessica Parker both love it, incidentally.

Oriza L. Legrand Relique d’Amour (revived 2012): An ethereal Gothic treat of a fragrance, with notes of damp stone, lily flowers, and traces of myrrh on chilly air. A name that refers to the cult of holy relics. Also, look at that beautiful label and box! Kevin of NST said it had an unfortunate evocation of funeral parlors for him (air-conditioning and flower arrangements?). I don’t get the same impression, and that’s a great thing about perfume: we all bring our own associations to it.

Liquides Imaginaires Sancti (Sonia Constant, 2013): We definitely need one “holy water” perfume on this list, and Sancti’s original subtitle was “L’eau bénite.” Liquides Imaginaires has frequently dabbled in motifs of the sacred and the profane, and they currently seem to be taking a non-denominational stance on Sancti, but this one still reads as very Catholic-coded to me. It has brighter, cleansing notes of citrus, coriander, and rosemary overlaying a base of resins and woods.

PROFVMVM ROMA Dulcis in Fundo (2006): Profumum Roma is based in Rome (duh), and I also wanted to include something sweet and indulgent to balance out the more severe themes. This gourmand smells like a vanilla-heavy angel food cake garnished with candied orange slices, and its name — appropriately enough for a dessert-y perfume — translates from Latin literally as “sweet at the bottom,” more loosely as “the best for last.” Plus, I’m imagining that the College of Cardinals will be enjoying some sweets after their upcoming shared meals in the Vatican.

What fragrances would you add to this list? Feel free to share in the comments!