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Here’s What Happened to Pope Francis’ Ring
Before Pope Leo XIV was elected, a centuries-old procedure regarding the late pontiff’s ring was followed.
The late Pope Francis, seen here wearing a simple silver ring, often wore a gold-plated silver Fisherman’s Ring during papal ceremonies. The history of the Fisherman’s ring and the rules about what must be done with it after a pope dies date back centuries. (Image courtesy of the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See (Vatican)’s Facebook page)
New York—Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected pope, the first American to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, and has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV.
Prevost officially will be installed as pontiff during his first public mass, scheduled for May 18 at St. Peter’s Square.
He also will receive a Fisherman’s Ring. While details about his ring are not yet available, it will likely follow tradition and feature an image of St. Peter.
Before that process to elect a new pope began, however, there was another tradition involving Pope Francis’ ring that was honored.
According to a post on X, on May 6, a Vatican employee used a chisel to deface the seal on Pope Francis’ ring in front of the camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church and the College of Cardinals in Synod Hall at the Vatican.
The camerlengo is the cardinal who serves as treasurer to the Holy See, which is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City.
Prevost officially will be installed as pontiff during his first public mass, scheduled for May 18 at St. Peter’s Square.
He also will receive a Fisherman’s Ring. While details about his ring are not yet available, it will likely follow tradition and feature an image of St. Peter.
Before that process to elect a new pope began, however, there was another tradition involving Pope Francis’ ring that was honored.
According to a post on X, on May 6, a Vatican employee used a chisel to deface the seal on Pope Francis’ ring in front of the camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church and the College of Cardinals in Synod Hall at the Vatican.
The camerlengo is the cardinal who serves as treasurer to the Holy See, which is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City.
Come tradizione in tempo di Sede Vacante, questa mattina nell’Aula del Sinodo sono stati annullati l’Anello del Pescatore e il Sigillo di piombo di Papa Francesco alla presenza del Camerlengo di Santa Romana Chiesa e del Collegio dei Cardinali. pic.twitter.com/LAED4vlrcN
— Segreteria di Stato della Santa Sede (@TerzaLoggia) May 6, 2025
The meaning behind the pope’s ring, and its destruction, are steeped in history.
The tradition of the “Fisherman’s Ring,” the signet ring worn by the pope, dates back to the 13th century, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
The name refers to St. Peter the Apostle, who was said to be a fisherman and is considered to be the first pope in Catholic tradition.
The signet ring is given to the pope at his papal inauguration.
Pope Francis, known for his reserved nature, eschewed tradition, opting for a gold-plated silver Fisherman’s Ring rather than a pure gold one, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
The ring features an image of St. Peter holding the keys to heaven, and was designed by artist Enrico Manfrini, as per the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
St. Peter is said to be the guard at the gates of heaven, an image often depicted in religious art. The idea stems from a Bible passage (Matthew 16:19) in which Jesus tells Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”
Embed from Getty Images
Manfrini, who died in 2004, had made several medals and other pieces for Pope Paul VI (1963–78). The pope’s secretary, Archbishop Pasquale Macchi, kept a wax form of a ring that was never cast into metal.
According to the USCCB, the cast was given to Monsignor Ettore Malnati, who worked closely with Pope Paul VI. Malnati had a gold-plated silver ring made using the cast.
This ring was presented to the new Pope Francis and ultimately was the one he chose to be his Fisherman’s Ring.
It was presented to him at his Mass of Inauguration on March 19, 2013.
Choosing a gold-plated silver ring that already had been designed seems to be on brand for Pope Francis, who was known for avoiding the pomp and circumstance traditionally associated with the papacy and encouraged others to live a humbler life too.
During his Christmas homily in 2018, Pope Francis called on those in developed countries to live a less materialistic life.
“Let us ask ourselves: Do I really need all these material objects and complicated recipes for living? Can I manage without all these unnecessary extras and live a life of greater simplicity?” he said.
“For many people, life’s meaning is found in possessing, in having an excess of material objects. An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when, paradoxically, a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive.”
It is customary to destroy the ring after a pope’s death because, like all signet rings, it historically was used as a wax seal, guaranteeing the authenticity of the pope’s letters and, later on, for papal briefs.
The pope’s practice of using his ring for the wax seal dates back to the 13th century, first mentioned in a letter written by Pope Clement IV (1265–68), according to Catholic World Online.
The practice was discontinued in 1842, and the popes from then on used a papal stamp.
Despite the switch to a stamp, the tradition of destroying the pope’s ring continued for more than a century.
In 1996, Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) issued the “Universi Dominici Gregis,” an apostolic constitution that outlines what to do when the pontiff’s seat is vacant, including destroying the ring, and how to elect the next pope.
The custom of destroying the ring changed in 2013, when Pope Benedict XVI resigned. The cardinal camerlengo opted instead to mark a cross on the seal using a chisel, as was done with Pope Francis’ ring.
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