Why Is a Pope's Signet Ring Broken When He Dies?

What Is the Papal Signet Ring?

The fisherman's ring is much more than a mere bauble of jewelry. It is worn by the current pope and serves as a public reminder of his role as the successor of Saint Peter—the apostle appointed by Jesus to be the rock on which the Roman Catholic Church would be established. The ring typically has an engraving of Saint Peter fishing from a boat, a clear allusion to Christ's words in the Bible to call Peter to be a "fisher of men." Beyond this legendary image, the ring also carries the name of the current pope.

Made typically in gold, each ring for a fisherman is one-of-a-kind for its wearer. It is made by talented goldsmiths who, with tradition and shifting artistic sensibilities, make a ring that is representative of the times. Consistent with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the presentation of the ring to a new pope is a moment of great significance, marking the formal start of his papal ministry.

The Historical Origins of the Fisherman's Ring

The fisherman's ring tradition is traced at least to the 13th century. The first recorded mention was by Pope Clement IV in a letter in 1265. The ring, then, was symbolic but also practical. It was a personal signet used on secret papal letters, sealing in a wax impression documents.

By the 15th century, the ring had come to be used as the official seal for papal briefs—brief missives that conveyed important but less formal papal decisions. It continued to be so for centuries, until 1842, when the Church abandoned sealing official documents with wax seals and turned to rubber stamps instead. Even though the practical application of the ring has faded with the centuries, its symbolic meaning has not.

Saint Peter fishing reminds one of the pope as an evangelist, one who is called to spread the words of Christ to the whole world. The ring thus symbolizes the pope's role and authority: to lead, to preach, and to serve.

What Becomes of the Ring When the Pope Passes Away

When a pope dies, a complex ritual starts—one that has been adhered to with stunning consistency for centuries. The first thing to be done is to remove the fisherman's ring from the late pontiff. The camerlengo, a senior Vatican official who is charged with ensuring the administration of the Church during the interregnum between papacies, has charge of it.

The camerlengo then oversees the somber ritual of the destruction of the ring. Before the gathered cardinals and officials, he breaks the ring with a specific silver hammer, rendering it useless. Vatican News characterizes the move as a visible and public demonstration that the power of the deceased pope is over.

The ceremony, although theatrical, is not merely theatrical. It has deep significance, marking the end of one era and the opening of the door to the election of a new successor. During this time, the Church is said to be in a state called sede vacante—literally, "the seat being vacant."

Surprisingly, the tradition was subtly modified in the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. Because Benedict did not pass away but rather resigned, the Vatican did not entirely destroy his fisherman's ring. Rather, a chisel was employed to inscribe a deep "X" into it, signaling the termination of his active jurisdiction without undermining the historicity of his resignation.

Why the Pope's Ring Is Broken

The destruction of the fisherman's ring is both practical and symbolic. Practically, it is an effective anti-forgery tool. As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops describes, the ring could otherwise be employed to forge documents on behalf of the deceased pope, leading to fraud within and outside the Church.

Symbolically, the action signifies the end of the pope's spiritual and temporal reign. As long as the ring is intact, it can mean that the pope's reign goes on. Severing it officially signifies the end of his pontificate and underscores that a new leader must be elected to lead the Church into the future.

Is Anything Else Destroyed As Well?

Yes, the fisherman's ring is not alone in being destroyed. In addition, the camerlengo has to destroy the pope's lead seal—another relic of the past used to sign official documents. The seal, too, like the ring, has to be destroyed so that no further documents are forged in the name of the late pope, says Vatican News.

These collectively serve to protect the dignity and legitimacy of papal authority and offer a secure and unambiguous passage to the following pontificate.

What Happens When the Ring is Destroyed? After the fisherman's ring and lead seal of the deceased pope are broken ritually, the Church turns its attention to the election of a new pope. The College of Cardinals meets in a secret conclave, where they debate and vote by successive ballots until a two-thirds majority can be achieved. Once a new pope is elected, a new fisherman's ring is specially prepared for him. During the inaugural ceremony, traditionally presided over by the camerlengo, the new pope is presented with the newly stamped ring. The ring is put on his finger as a sign of the start of his job as the new bishop of Rome and the spiritual authority of more than a billion Catholics worldwide. Throughout the centuries, the fisherman's ring has symbolized the continuity of the Church, the gravity of papal office, and the persistent call to serve humanity in humility and faith.