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When Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis in 2013, he immediately signaled a new papal era — one rooted in humility, modesty and simplicity. Nowhere was this more evident than in his choice of the papal ring. Rather than commissioning an ornate, solid gold Fisherman’s Ring as tradition dictated, Pope Francis opted for a recycled gold-plated silver ring — a decision rich in symbolism for both the Church and the jewelry world.
The Fisherman’s Ring holds centuries of significance. First referenced in a 1265 letter by Pope Clement IV, the ring initially served as a seal for private papal correspondence. By the 15th century, it evolved into the official seal for “papal briefs,” bearing an image of Saint Peter — the Church’s first pope — casting his net as a “fisher of men.”
The ring’s destruction upon the pope’s death became an equally important tradition, laden with both practical and symbolic meaning. Following the death of a pope, the “Camerlengo” — the Vatican official tasked with overseeing affairs during the sede vacante (the period between the death of a pope and the election of his successor) — ceremoniously destroyed the Fisherman’s Ring with a special silver hammer.
This act prevented forgery of papal documents, which historically bore the ring’s imprint, and also symbolized the end of the deceased pope’s authority. The ritual, carried out in the presence of the College of Cardinals, marked a definitive close to one papacy and prepared the Church for the election of a new leader. The same respectful defacement occurred for Pope Francis’ ring following his death at age 88 on Easter Monday.
Fisherman’s Rings have varied widely in design through the centuries, usually featuring Saint Peter and the keys of the Holy See. Despite these evolving artistic interpretations, the essence of the ring as a symbol of papal authority and continuity remains unchanged.
In a break from the expected grandeur, Pope Francis’ Fisherman’s Ring was not newly commissioned. Instead, he chose a simple gold-plated silver ring with a cross motif that had once belonged to Archbishop Pasquale Macchi, the secretary to Pope Paul VI.
During his reign, Francis wore the Fisherman’s Ring primarily for official ceremonies. For daily use, he preferred an even simpler, plain silver band from his time as a cardinal.
Ultimately, Pope Francis’ decision to wear what was essentially a repurposed ring perfectly encapsulated his papacy: one of service, accessibility and a conscious return to the roots of the Gospel. In doing so, he reshaped not only perceptions of papal authority, but also left an indelible mark on the history of the Church’s most iconic piece of jewelry.
Credit: Ring photo by Agência Lusa, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Pope Francis photo by Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Photographer name), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
