“Ring of the Fisherman” is the correct name for the ring worn by the Pope. It’s also known as the Piscatory Ring or Anulus Piscatoris in Latin. This ring, given to the Pope upon his election, symbolizes his authority as the successor of Saint Peter, who was a fisherman. The ring typically features a bas-relief of Saint Peter fishing from a boat, a design rooted in the biblical reference to the apostles as “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17),
The earliest documented reference to the Fisherman’s Ring appears in a letter by Pope Clement IV (1265–68), where it was used to seal private correspondence, indicating its use by at least the mid-13th century. By the 15th century, it was employed to seal papal briefs, a practice that continued until 1842, when it was replaced by a red wax for sealing,
The tradition of kissing the ring, dating back to the Middle Ages, was a gesture of devotion, with a partial indulgence granted by Pope Pius X in the early 20th century.
During a papal coronation or inauguration, the Camerlengo traditionally places the ring on the new Pope’s right-hand ring finger, a practice seen in ceremonies for Popes like Benedict XVI and Francis. While no longer used for sealing documents since 1842, lead seals continue for apostolic letters, maintaining a historical continuity. Traditionally made of gold, Pope Francis’s ring, bestowed in 2013, was made of gold-plated silver,
Upon a Pope’s death and Before burial, the ring was ceremonially smashed in the presence of the College of Cardinals, a ritual signifying the formal end of his papal authority and to prevent forgery, a practice with practical roots to stop pretenders from using false seals.
Historically, this involved smashing the ring with a hammer , but since Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation in 2013 (the first in six centuries), a new tradition emerged where a deep cross is carved into the ring instead.
Pope Francis actually used a “recycled” ring from Archbishop Pasquale Macchi, who died in 2006 and was secretary to Pope Paul VI.