New Papal Election Board Game Designed by Expert on Catholic History and Rooted in Historical Fact Lets Players 'Uncover the Secrets of How Men Become Pope'
GLEN ELLYN, Ill., June 13, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The worldwide success of "The Da Vinci Code" book and movie as well as the announcement of a major motion picture based on the book, "Angels and Demons", also by Dan Brown, is a harbinger of growing and significant interest in the internal dynamics of the Catholic Church. College of DuPage Press (www.vaticanboardgame.com) is happy to announce VATICAN: The Board Game, its unique contribution to a booming interest in these religious themes.
VATICAN: The Board Game enables its players to, as described by its developers, "uncover the secrets of how men become pope." VATICAN: The Board Game is both entertaining and educational. Designed by the distinguished historian Stephen Haliczer, author of several books about Catholic institutions, VATICAN is firmly rooted in scholarly history.
VATICAN: The Board Game is ideal for social play and a proven catalyst for good conversation, But VATICAN: The Board Game is much more. It is a 'simulation' of the papal election process, a clever and challenging one, that provides real insight on the papacy and the workings of the Catholic church and its history. In VATICAN: The Board Game, each player takes the part of a Cardinal competing with the other players to be elected pope. At game's end, the player with the most votes wins the papacy.
Designed for two to six players (age 15 and up), VATICAN: The Board Game takes the cardinals from their origins (where they were born, educated and what languages they speak), through their success in office holding in their own country and in Rome. These and other career events may increase or decrease their chances of being viewed as "papabile," i.e. papal material.
The game moves into a higher gear when the sitting pope dies. The College of Cardinals is thrown into a maw of publicity and pre-electoral maneuvering during the papal election run-up. Each candidate is put under intense public scrutiny. The game races to a conclusion in the Conclave in which vote totals rise or fall among the cardinals sitting in secret session in the Sistine Chapel.
This is a game that will appeal to any thoughtful person interested in understanding the oldest standing electoral process in the world, that of electing a pope. Catholics, whatever their perspective, and others, whatever their denomination or religious point of view, will find the game fascinating, enlightening and provocative. VATICAN: The Board Game has no ideological bent and portrays the papal electoral process accurately and with respect.
For those interested in learning more about the author (Stephen Haliczer), he blogs at www.catholicobserver.com. (Reporters: For a fuller briefing, please call Joe Barillari, Director, College of DuPage Press, at 630 942-3033.
The game will be available from College of DuPage Press on August 1, 2006. Prepublication orders are now being accepted. It is priced at $45.00 including shipping. To order or for more consumer information, telephone toll-free (866 317-0655) or check the website at www.vaticanboardgame.com.
CONTACT: College of DuPage Press
Joe Barillari, Director
(630) 942-3033
