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In the event of sede vacantism (the See of Peter being empty), it would be the Holy Spirit who guided and protected the Church, as promised by Christ.

I am well aware of the RCC teaching concerning a "vacancy" or, even more interesting, "well maybe there were three 'Popes' at the same time but one of them must have been the right one" kind of argument.

The fact is, in the numerous instances where months and years passed, including the "Diocletian persecution", before a new Pope was elected, the primary reason was internal power wars and political infighting within the ranks of the RCC.

"The fact is, in the numerous instances where months and years passed, including the "Diocletian persecution", before a new Pope was elected, the primary reason was internal power wars and political infighting within the ranks of the RCC."

And Napoleon kidnapped the Pope for political and anti-religious reasons: when the Pope died in captivity, they thought they had destroyed the Church. Well, they didn't; another Pope was elected. (Not an internal battle unless you say Napoleon was acting because of his Catholic beliefs; he did repent later before he died -- in exile.)

AND there are battles within the Church, guess why?? Because there are some, even within the heirarchy, who have lost their faith, and rather than having the intellectual honesty to leave Her, try to do damage to Her from within. (One example: Windswept House, a novel by Malachai Martin). Pope Paul VI said the smoke of Satan had entered the Church. So you are going to blame the Church because she contains some wicked members who use their positons and talents to harm Her??

POINT: the Holy Spirit protects the deposit of the faith during such times. Always has, always will! The Church continues, and the succession is there for all to see.