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How was Benedict XVIâs Fishermanâs Ring marked after his resignation in 2013?
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papal conclave
Cardinals assembled inside the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican Palace for a conclave to elect a new pope; Vatican City, 2005.
Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, the traditional custom of destroying the Fishermanâs Ring with a hammer was altered. Instead of breaking the ring, the cardinal camerlengo marked it by scratching a deep cross onto its upper surface using a chisel.12
This modification served to signify the end of the pope's authority while preserving the object, departing from the historical practice of physically destroying the ring and lead bulla to prevent the forgery of official documents.12