How is the pope's ring destroyed?

Answer 1

The ring is destroyed for two reasons:

1) as a holdover from medievil traditions of sealing wax in order to legitimize a document against forgery, the papal ring was destroyed so that no extras would ever be available to create forged documents (generally of heresies) and present them as official teachings of the Pope.

2) The power of EACH pope is vested in the fact that they are the successor of St Peter, the first bishop of Rome and a fisherman. Each pope's succession is marked, therefore, by the possession of a unique fisherman's ring, which is presented upon apointment to the papacy and destroyed upon death. It is one office (ring design) with many (iterations) who have sat in the Cathedros (Chair) of Rome/Peter

Answer 2

The papal ring was used as a seal to impress wax on official documents. By destroying the ring it prevented counterfeit documents from being issued under the name and office of the dead pontiff. It also symbolizes the end of his rule.

Answer 3

Upon the death of a pope, his ring is inspected by the cardinals present to verify if it is truly the pope's ring. Then the cardinal chamberlain with a silver knife in hand scratches the seal twice, once horizontally and once vertically, in the sign of the cross. This sign effectively defaces the seal. Those present inspect the ring again.

The defaced ring is then placed on a lead block. With a silver mallet, the cardinal chamberlain then administers a blow to the ring. He continues to do so until the ring is finally destroyed. The pieces of the ring are then placed in a velvet sack and tied tightly. This sack along with the other important documents of the deceased pope will later be placed in one of the pope's coffins."

(from a voice from eden)

Answer 4

It used to be that the ring was destroyed with a small silver papal hammer at the death of the pope. Today it is defaced by the camerlengo in the presence of other cardinals by making a deep cut across the signet of the ring.

Answer 5

The ring of the pope is also the papal seal which the pope uses to impress important documents with the seal of his office. It is destroyed when the pope dies so that it cannot be used by others to produce counterfeit documents.

Answer 6

With a small hammer.