How does the destruction of the ring take place?
The ritual is immutable. Before the eyes of the highest Vatican officials , the ring is either broken or deeply scarred . In Francis’s case, it will not be pulverized as before, but severely damaged by a hammer blow administered by Cardinal Farrell .
This solemn gesture symbolizes the end of papal authority and the beginning of the process of electing his successor, through the conclave.
Francis, a Pope faithful to simplicity
True to his image of sobriety, Francis did not order a new solid gold ring like many of his predecessors. He chose a discreet, gilded silver ring , recycled from a model once worn by Pasquale Macchi , secretary to Pope Paul VI.
Unlike other popes, he only wore his Fisherman’s Ring during major ceremonies. In everyday life, he preferred a modest and sober silver ring , breaking with traditional pomp.
Even in gestures of piety, he marked his difference: in 2019 , he was seen delicately dodging attempts by the faithful to kiss his hand , not out of disdain, but out of concern for hygiene and to remind people that faith does not come through gestures of submission .
Other secret rituals that follow the death of a pope
Upon the death of a sovereign pontiff, protocol begins like an ancestral mechanism . His residence – here the Domus Sanctae Marthae , the modest dwelling chosen by Francis – is sealed with hot wax to guarantee the inviolability of the place.
His will, if it exists, is opened at the first meeting of the College of Cardinals. Several days of mourning precede the funeral, scheduled for April 24-27 .
Reflecting his simple life, François had requested a simple funeral, far removed from the traditional triple coffin. A simple wooden coffin lined with zinc will hold his remains.
A heritage of simplicity and faith
The destruction of Pope Francis’s ring symbolizes the closing of a pontificate , but his true legacy will remain: humility, compassion, and care for the most vulnerable .
With this solemn gesture, the Catholic Church turns a historical page… to write a new one .
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