The new coat of arms of Benedict XVI?

 

 

 

These were all suggestions presented to the pope emeritus which he did not concern himself with.

The former pontiff is now preoccupied with prayer and writing books and recently his first selfie.

 

 

Thank you for Summorum Pontificum.

Personally speaking, that motu propio draw the world's attention to our liturgical heritage and made the world think, especially the young generation about the importance of the liturgy in their lives as Catholics.

 More ordinations, anyone?

 

The ring of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

I can't help my trained eye to notice what the pope emeritus was wearing during the Canonization Mass.

You have to click the image for a larger view.

 

As most of us knew now, the pope emeritus is not wearing the Piscatorial Ring anymore, of course, since he is not the reigning pope.

As you can see, he is wearing a different ring.

Here is a close-up of his ring.

And you can see his papal coat of arms on the cane.  No, he is not pope anymore so stop that conspiracy theory.

And here is another image of the pope emeritus and his ring.

And here is the close up of that ring.

It is called the Conciliar Ring or the Episcopal Ring of the Council Fathers or more famously known as Vatican II Ring.

Here is another view of the ring.  You can see that this is an open type so it is perfect for anyone with varying ring sizes considering that these rings were made without asking the Council Fathers their ring sizes.

This was given to all the Council Fathers after the closing session of the Council by Pope Paul VI.

(Sedevacantists:  Cue video clip of Sauron giving the rings of power to elves, dwarves and men!)

I personally saw this on one archbishop who was a Council Father.  I kissed it and he let me take a good look at it.

Considering the number of Council Father, I think the material is rather cheap and this is easily done.  The back of this ring open so it can fit any ring size.

But in some aspects, I like the design.

Father Ratzinger was a peritus (expert) for Joseph Cardinal Frings of Cologne.  He certainly was not a Council Father so he definitely did not receive this ring.

This might be from Cardinal Frings or from another bishop.

So, for the liberals, Benedict XVI was a traitor of the Council.  See the ring?

For the traditionalists, he is an apostle of the Council.  Summorum Pontificum?  SSPX reunification efforts?

As far as I can still remember the Pope emeritus is the pope of Christian Unity and of the hermeneutic of continuity.

And even if you produce 1 million Anscar Chupungco's or 1 billion Genaro Diwa, it would still not suffice for one Joseph Ratzinger in terms of sound theology and liturgy.

Continuity (Ratzinger)

Rupture and Innovation (Chupungco and Diwa)

If there is one humble man the whole world is missing with all the hoopla about the simplicity of Pope Francis, it is Benedict XVI.

Only a humble man can admit that he is done enough and it is time to step down.

One of my favorite moment in the canonization Mass

The arrival of His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Pope Francis' first consistory

If you missed the entire ceremony, you can watch it here:

Papa Benedetto was in the house!

He took off his white zuccheto when he met Papa Francesco.  :)

The official papal medallion mosaic portrait of Pope Francis

This will be placed at the archbasilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.  Thanks to John Sonnen of OrbisCatholicusSecundus for the photo.

This portrait will be placed next to that of Benedict XVI as you can see from the photo below.

Pope Francis takes possession of his cathedral

And the ferula made famous by Bl. John Paul II, but was actually first used by Ven. Paul VI, makes a comeback.

I think the new pope really does not like anything in gold, no?

White and silver are his thing, except the papal ring which was coated in gold.

Hmmm... does this explain why the banner even in the Lateran Archbasilica is still looking like this?

Fr. Z has more about the homily of the pope.  Click here to read it.

Papal Mass: The Cardinal Deacons are back

And something else.......

The sight of that priest giving out Communion like he is handing out Oreos to kids is..............APPALLING!!

ANOTHER CALL TO STOP COMMUNION IN THE HAND!

Sign the petition now!

You can see the link and the petition in left sidebar.

Is Pope Francis in the papal apartment now?

Apparently not!

This is Pope Francis' simple study in Domus Sanctae Marthae where he is still holding office and receiving guests.  Since March 13, he hasn't moved into the papal apartments where his predecessors have lived, worked and some died through the centuries.  Reports are ripe that he might just stay at the Domus.  There are some suggestions that he could also stay at the papal apartments in the Lateran Basilica where it is smaller and more apt to Francis' simplicity.

Read more about it here.

Pope Benedict showed the whole world that popes and other authorities do not stick to their chairs for as long as they want.

Now Pope Francis is showing that you can still bear the responsibilities of the office even if you choose to be in office simply.  Though I have a different opinion about his tendency to over simplify the liturgy.  But I might be wrong.

In the last few months, we have been a witness to so many firsts.

I know priests and bishops who think that their parish, ministry or diocese is their birth right or their  own personal property or playground.  Some bishops here in the Philippines are like that.

Hope other pastors learn from these two popes.

Or do they?

A subtle attack on Pope Emeritus Benedict

Here is an example.

This is the caption:

Pope Francis rides through the throngs of faithful in St. Peter's Square.  He circled the square in an open-top vehicle, bypassing the Popemobile with its bulletproof glass.

WHAT?!?!

Pope Benedict XVI used that too in his Inaugural Mass in 2005.

The pope NEVER uses the bullet proof popemobile in the Vatican!

It's is an obvious jab against the emeritus pope and the continuing "praise release" on the humility of our current Holy Father.

Gosh!  Western media...

UPDATE:  Here is a similar post but with a much extensive analysis.  Enough posting for me today.  I'm spent!  Poof!

PS:  Salakot tip to MM for the term "praise release".

Crappy Article about the Papal Installation from the Inquirer

The last papal coronation

From the Inquirer

It was a lengthy article but I'd get straight to the parts where I found glaring factual errors.


***


It was Paul VI (1963-1978) who instituted broad papal changes that continue to affect the Church today. It was also Paul who mandated that cardinals who have reached 80 years old will not be eligible to take part in a papal conclave.  [Ok, so far so good.]

Although there are 155 cardinals in the world today, only 115 took part in the recent conclave.  [Because of the prohibition against cardinals aged 80 above joining the conclave.]

Also upon receiving the tiara in 1963, Paul VI promptly sold his crown [uhmmm... promptly?  Paul VI was crowned in June 1963 and he kept using it until he placed the tiara on the altar of St. Peter's on November 1963.   5 months is PROMPTLY??? I think that time lapse is not PROMPTLY.] to the Americans [Uhhmm...not to the Americans.  He was about to sell it to those who wants it but the American Cardinal Francis Spellman bought it and the tiara is now in display in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC]. and abolished the practice of coronation, [uhmmm...Paul VI did not.  In fact, the Apostolic Constitution Romano Pontifici Eligendo, promulgated by Paul VI mentions the term coronation.  It was the Apostolic Constition, Universi Dominici Gregis of John Paul II that removed any mention of a coronation.  So, obviously, the writer did not do his homework.]  the better for the papacy to shed its absolutist monarchist traces.  [uhmmm... John Paul II said during his homily in his Papal Inaugural Mass: "The last Pope to be crowned was Paul VI in 1963, but after the solemn coronation ceremony he never used the tiara again and left his Successors free to decide in this regard. Pope John Paul I, whose memory is so vivid in our hearts, did not wish to have the tiara; nor does his Successor wish it today. This is not the time to return to a ceremony and an object considered, wrongly, to be a symbol of the temporal power of the Popes."  Notice that?  WRONGLY considered!  And Zulueta is one of those who again WRONGLY considered the meaning of the tiara.  Whether the Pope wears the tiara or not, Catholic Theology and Vatican City State Laws still give the Pope ABSOLUTE powers.  So whether he is wearing three crowns stacked as one, he still IS a monarch.]

In the installations of the next popes, the tiara would remain, [weh?  remain???  In the installation of John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, the tiara was nowhere!] but it would be lodged on the head of the ebony statue of St. Peter, [only during the feast of St. Peter and Paul in June!] the first Pope, in the basilica named after him, which is the biggest church in the world.

The tiara that will now be lodged on the head of St. Peter will bear the Latin titles of the three ministries of Christ [now?  It has been tradition ever since to clothe that statue of St. Peter in papal vestments and with the papal tiara even before Vatican II.  NOW???] that his Vicar—the Pope—should perform: as Teacher, Prophet and Servant. [WAH?!  Where in the world did he get these things?  Is this another one of those Vicarius Filii Dei tiara hoax?]  John Paul II abolished the practice of the cardinals paying public fealty to the new Pope during the installation ceremonies. [WHAT?!  John Paul didn't!  In fact it was Benedict who did so only to put it back before his resignation on Feb.28 via a Motu Propio!]  During his installation in 2005, Benedict reaffirmed the innovation of his predecessor and received merely the homage of the representative cardinals of the various churches.  [WHAT?!?!  There were only three cardinals who did not give him "homage" but pledge obedience.the senior Cardinal bishop, the Cardinal protopriest, the Cardinal protodeacon, the bishop of Benedict's former suburbicarian diocese of Velletri-Segni, the priest serving as pastor of Benedict's former titular church when he was a Cardinal priest, a deacon, a religious brother, a Benedictine nun, a married couple from Korea, and a young woman from Sri Lanka and a young man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, both being recently confirmed before the Mass.]

But before he stepped down on Feb. 28, Benedict issued a decree to restore the practice, so that all of the cardinal-electors will have to be present in his installation Tuesday to pay public homage to Francis.

It was also Benedict who widened the pallium, [widened!] the tie-like collar whose end extends down to the floor that the Pope traditionally wears in solemn liturgical events.  [Only during Mass not ALL solemn liturgical events.  Geewhiz!  The author is nauseating.]

As a result, Francis, noted for his simple fashion statements, will have to follow the example of Benedict and wear a wider and more fashion-elaborate pallium.  [See that obvious jab against Benedict?  Francis is simple but he was forced to wear the fashion - elaborate pallium of Benedict.  Boohoo!  You even got your facts wrongly!  The omophorion type of pallium that Benedict had in his Inaugural Mass was abandoned after he left in in the tomb of St. Celestine V.  What Benedict wore and Francis is wearing is a larger version of the pallium currently bestowed on metropolitan archbishops.  And to use the adjective "fashion-elaborate" is nothing more than an obvious jab against the pope emeritus!]

Wide or narrow, the pallium symbolizes the Christ-like qualities of the Pope and the need for him to follow the example of Jesus. It is brought together by three pins symbolizing the three nails that impaled Christ on the cross.  [Oh brother.  He doesn't even know what the pallium stands for.  Just read it here.  I am getting tired correcting this work.]

During the installation, Francis will receive the so-called fisherman’s ring (St. Peter was a fisherman). No design yet has emerged for the ring. [And he is not even updated with the latest press briefing from the Vatican which this lowly blogger hidden away in an office in Manila was able to blog about.  Blogger beats Journalist about Papal Inaugural Mass.  Now that is news for you.  Later...........Journalist bites Blogger.  Nah.  Man bites dog still is tacky.]  In the past, Popes received rings with the symbol of a fisherman’s boat.  [Weh???  Did he see what Pius IX wore?]

Also not yet known is the papal motto.

As Buenos Aires archbishop, Pope Francis’s motto was “Miserando atque eligendo” (Lowly, but chosen”). [Common mistake by the media.  The exact Latin translation is "By showing compassion and by choosing"  Read it here.] John Paul’s motto was “Totus tuus” (Truly yours), [TOTALLY Yours] while Benedict’s was “Cooperatores Veritatis,” which means “Coworkers of the Truth.”  [Cooperators of the Truth!  Aaarrggghhh!]


***

GOOD GRIEF!!!

Where in the world did he get his facts?!

Is the Inquirer desperately looking for a fact checker for articles about the Church?  Please I am willing to volunteer.

On second thought, this IS the Inquirer.

Facts about the Church are not their priority.


PS:  This looks like a bloody term paper.  Look at all the red marks!  LOL!

It means something...

If this were the Carnival?  Then what the heck is this?

A cheap production of the "Swan Lake"?

***

Why is the papal mozzetta colored red?  Why is the papal shoes colored red?  Why is the pope's stole in choir colored red?

All meaning that the pope must be ready to spill his blood for Christ.

It is not the color of the carnival!

I guess you know what I am talking about.

It is the alleged quip of His Holiness to the Papal Master of Ceremonies why he does not want to use the

The trappings of the papal office may be too much for the "simple and humble" pope but these must not be used as an occasion to describe or equate these vestments with worldly events like the Carnival!  (No, Jimmy.  It is not the Coney Island or Disneyland thing.  It is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday)

And surprisingly, there are gullible people, sadly one of them a priest, who jumps into the bandwagon of "hoorahing" the simplicity of the pope.  And what I find mind-boggling is how he was able to say that the Masses of Benedict and Francis were the same???

WHAT?!?!

Francis does not chant.  Benedict does!

Shall I add more???

Sistine Chapel.  Ad orientem altar.  New one placed instead of using the altar at the chapel?\

Still the same???

Ugh.

Don't get me wrong.  I am for simplicity.  But why use derogatory terms, like Carnival?

Carnival?  What now?  The mozzetta and the state stole are used by harlequins???

St. Francis of Assisi and St. John Marie Vianney lived simplicity.  In fact, they breathed simplicity! BUT!

They did not shun away sacred vestments that are "too triumphalistic" or something that will "turn off the poor"!

No, my dear people.  St. Francis and the Cure of Ars still wore splendid vestments when at Mass.

They in fact encouraged it!

Here is my post about St. John Mary Vianney.

And here is the post of Fr. Z about St. Francis of Assisi.  And here is another from the New Liturgical Movement.

So, is going too simple even in the liturgy with the wishes of the saints?

No, it doesn't.

I hope that report from the BBC is not true.  I am hoping it is not.  But judging from the looks of it...it might be.

Do we just throw things away because they are too beautiful that they are not meant for the poor?

I don't think so.  These precious things have meanings and these "things", these precious vestments and vessels and liturgical paraphernalia are meant not for the rich but for everyone!

Using ugly vestments and other liturgical items simply because you want to be in "solidarity with the poor" is in fact insulting to the poor.  You think because they are poor they do not have any right for beautiful things?  They do not have any right to enjoy worshiping in splendid churches and call it "OUR" church???

I guess the priest turned a blind eye on that one, too, eh.

Pope Francis may have abandoned some of the papal regalia, but let us see in the Installation Mass tomorrow if his simplicity goes towards "over simplifying" the Mass...

And let the tag "Secret SSPX" on The Pinoy Catholic begin!!!


PS:  Did anyone here brand the late Fr. Chupungco disobedient to the Holy Father for his public attacks against Benedict XVI???

With that out of the way, ok, go ahead.  COMMENT.

Fisherman's Ring was not completely destroyed!

Don't tell me I didn't tell you so!

From the Catholic News Service

***

It should be a museum item!

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When Pope Benedict XVI officially stepped down from office Feb. 28, his wardrobe changed -- right down to the ring on his finger.

He simply stopped wearing the familiar red shoes and the traditional white cassock with a white cape on his shoulder. He also stopped wearing the fisherman's ring, one of the main symbols of the papal office, and went back to wearing an episcopal ring he wore as a cardinal.

But it was not enough to simply leave the papal ring behind.

According to the rules governing the interregnum and election of a pope, the College of Cardinals must "arrange for the destruction of the fisherman's ring and of the lead seal with which apostolic letters are dispatched." [From the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominis Gregis]

On March 6, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told reporters that this "destruction" had been completed, although he explained that the ring is not smashed or destroyed completely; rather, two deep cuts are made in its face so that it can no longer be used as a seal. [I told you so.]

Retired Pope Benedict received the ring at his inauguration Mass along with his pallium, the woolen stole symbolizing a bishop's authority. Both were based on ancient designs.

The gold ring, similar to the old rings that popes used also as seals, was designed by the Rome Association of Goldsmiths. [Uhmmm...The ring was designed and made by Roman master goldsmith Claudio Franchi and not that group. Dieter Phillipi who also gave the pope meritus his tiara as a gift, wrote an article about the Piscatorial Ring.] It had Pope Benedict's name etched on it and a scene of St. Peter casting out his net, symbolizing how popes are successors of the apostle Peter.

Many Catholics pay their respects to the pope by kneeling and kissing his ring. [Imagine an item revered by all Catholics other than the pope, gets smashed for no apparent practical reason other than tradition?]

The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that the earliest mention of the fisherman's ring worn by popes is in a letter to Pope Clement IV wrote in 1265 to his nephew, stating that popes were to seal their private letters with "the seal of the fisherman."

During the 15th century, the papal ring also was used to seal official papal documents known as briefs.  [As was the case in feudal system of communication.]

***

In a briefing of the Vatican Press Office...

Fr. Lombardi, SJ’s English-language consultant, Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB, elaborated. “Fr. [Lombardi, SJ] saw with his very own eyes this (Saturday) morning, five objects that were ruined – scratched [and] rendered useless, because the image was destroyed,” he said.

Fr. Rosica went on to say, “First of all, there’s the ring – the Fisherman’s Ring that was destroyed – the image was scratched – secondly, there was [also destroyed] a stamp of the Fisherman’s Ring, a seal, which was used to seal official documents.” There were, in addition, “[T]wo stamps that were used for official Papal documents with the image on it, were scratched, so they cannot be used, and finally, the master lead seal, which was used for major documents, and [for] creating other seals: that was scratched, as well.”

The only practical reason for making deep cuts on the face of the ring that Benedict XVI wore was to prevent any forgeries made by impressions on it.  But, on the other hand, who'll make the forgeries?  I discussed this in detail in a related post.

And like what I mentioned in the earlier post, the ring maker himself, insists that the ring is a decorative ring and not a signet ring.

BUT!

If you want to feel your own pope, and want to make you "own" piscatorial ring, we'll here are some choices for you.

Note: They did not pay any advertising fee to The Pinoy Catholic, ha!

https://www.familysealrings.com/Religious_Rings2.html

http://www.suarezandsons.com/

That is...if you want to feel popish....ha!

The meaning of the Arms of the Sede Vacante

I will not be writing who loses his job or who gets to keep his during a Sede Vacante.  Wikipedia has written about that quite extensively.

What I'll be posting today is the explanation of the arms of the Holy See Sede Vacante.

Since most people have been using this emblem as their own profile photo in Facebook during this Sede Vacante, I thought of making a post to explain each of the ecclesiastical devices used in the Arms of the Holy See Sede Vacante.

But before continuing on look at the difference at the Arms of the Holy See and the Arms of Vatican City.

Arms of the Holy See

Arms of Vatican City

Notice the difference?

It is the placement of the keys.

The meaning of the keys also accounts for the meaning of the arms.

The Gold Key represents the Key presented by Christ to Peter with the power lose and bound those in Heaven and on Earth.  While the Silver Key represents his earthly powers of governance in the Vatican City State.

So as you can see, the gold key's end points to the left for the arms of the Holy See, with the left or dexter side traditionally representative of Heaven.  That of the right side or sinister side to that of the earth, thus the end of the silver key pointing to the right side.  The ends of the keys are in the lower part of the arms indicating the power to turn the keys rests in the hands of the the bearer of the keys, the Pope.  As in traditional chivalric charges, the headdresses of the owner of the arms rests above the keys.  For knights it is their helmets, kings have their crowns, dukes and princes their coronets, and for the pope, the triple crown symbolical of the Pope's power as Supreme Pastor, Supreme Teacher and Supreme Priest.

So you can see how the keys are differently placed in the arms of the Holy See and the arms of Vatican City State.

(The meaning of the red and gold cords on both the Arms of Vatican City and the Holy See were not properly defined.)

Now during a sede vacante, the tiara is taken out to symbolize the absence of a reigning Pope.  But what we have "crowning" the keys is an umbrella known as umbraculum (in Latin) or ombrellino in Italian and in English uhm...it's called an umbrella.

It can trace its origin with the Borgia Pope Alexander VI who used during processions.  Royalty used these ornate umbrellas when they go out for processions and Alexander VI who had a very nasty reputation for flare and pageantry used it to emphasize his temporal powers.

The canopies also denote the power of the cardinals as a collegial bodies.  This is evident in conclaves before the 1978 Conclave when the number of cardinals were so few that there were canopies above the heads of each sitting cardinal in the Sistine Chapel sitting in conclave.

Once the cardinal elected responds "Accepto" to the question of the cardinal dean whether he accepts his canonical election to the papacy, the other cardinals stand and pull the strings holding their canopies.  This will cause the canopies to fold up thus acknowledging that there, among them, is someone of higher authority than them.  The only canopy left unfolded is that of the cardinal elected into the papacy.

I highly suggest you watch "The Shoes of the Fisherman" for a more accurate portrayal of the papal conclave.

The ombrellino then became the symbol of the Pope's temporal powers and it is actually given as one of the privileges of minor basilicas along with the use of the Tiara and Crossed Keys.

Ombrellinos are now used as the power of the Holy See over papal basilicas.  It is commonly seen in minor basilicas with the bell on a rod known as a tintinnabulum.

Tintinnabulum of Mission Dolores Basilica,
San Francisco, USA

St. Louis Cathedral - Basilica, St. Louis, MO

Don't strain yourself.  You won't find this in any minor basilica in the Philippines.  Filipino rectors of these basilicas either don't know about this or simply don't care about these "popishry".

Basilica of St. John the Evangelist Stamford, CT

And here is the arms of the reigning pope, which at that time the photo was taken was Benedict XVI and the arms of the basilica which....is ALSO not done here in the Philippines.

And here is the arms of the Cardinal Camerlengo.  He possesses these arms even though not is sede vacante to mark him as not just your "usual cardinal".

So what does the arms of the Holy See Sede Vacante denote?

Just like the functions of the Camerlengo...Temporal Governance of the Holy See.  Just as the ombrellino denotes temporal powers, so does the Holy See Sede Vacante is being governed on purely temporal matters, until the successor of St. Peter sits upon his chair.

Sede Vacante 2013

Euro coins have been minted for circulation at the start of the Sede Vacante 2013 tonight at 8:00PM.

The arms of the Cardinal Camerlengo are minted on the coin.  That is the cardinatial arms of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Cardinal Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, with the arms of the Holy See Sede Vacante.

Breaking of the Fisherman's Ring

At Whispers in the Loggia, it was posted...

"At the same time today, it was also confirmed today that – keeping with the rites scripted over centuries to mark a papal vacancy – the Fisherman's Ring with which Benedict was invested on his 2005 election (its casting a departure from the past) will indeed be destroyed to symbolize the end of this pontiff's authority and, per tradition, protect against any potential forgeries of documents."

I don't believe this will be done primarily because what Pope Benedict XVI is wearing is his Fisherman's Ring, yes, no doubt about it, but IT IS NOT the signet Fisherman's ring that is used to make papal bulls or wax seals and stamps on official papal documents.

Pope Benedict is wearing the traditional Fisherman's ring.  Other popes before him did not wear the same ring.  The ring that the pope is wearing right now bears a positive image of St. Peter in a boat casting his net, and the pope's papal name, as you can see on the picture.

But the Fisherman's ring that is traditionally destroyed is the one used to make papal bulls and seals.  The practice of destroying piscatorial ring is not only for purely ceremonial purposes but to destroy the ring so that no other official documents are made under the preceding pope.  That is why it is destroyed in front of the Sacred College who are gathered before the camerlengo who destroys it.  The primary witness is the Cardinals gathered who are now governing the Church during sede vacante.  Pope Benedict XVI who will be emeritus tomorrow at 8:01PM Rome Time is not a member of the Sacred College thus he will not share the power of governing the Church during sede vacante.

Here is a photo of the mark left by the fisherman's ring of Paul VI on a papal bull.  Courtesy of John Sonnen of Orbis Catholicus Secundus.

Now look at the rings in these papal portraits.

Notice the rings?  Either they have a single stone set on it, and they do not resemble the Ring of the Fisherman that Benedict XVI wears or how the traditional design of the ring looks like.

John Paul II wore this kind of ring instead.

It is not the Ring of the Fisherman.

What will be destroyed is the Signet Ring of the Fisherman.  The one that is used to make seals like this kind.

This one here is a reproduction of the Fisherman's Ring by a ring maker in the UK.

The left foreground is the actual ring bearing the negative image.  If you use the ring on a wax, the positive image will look like the one of the right.

Here is another example of seals used in official documents.

The wax is on the left and the press of the seal is on the right.

Now we have dry seals especially on college diplomas and government certificates.  Making these signet rings is expensive and there are no wax (for seals) suppliers here in the country as far as I know.

Here are samples of the wax seals bearing the impression of the Ring of the Fisherman

Clement XII

Pius XII's letter to US President F.D. Roosevelt

John XXIII

Appointments of bishops usually have this mark.  Try asking your bishop if you could take a look at his papal bull.

So what will be the ring that will be destroyed?  Will it be the one Pope Benedict is wearing right now?  I don't think so.  It will be the ring used to make official papal documents.

One of the scenes of the movie The Shoes of the Fisherman, starring Anthony Quinn, shows the detailed process during a sede vacante including the destruction of the Signet Ring of the Fisherman.  The same scene in that hideous movie Angels and Demons does not do justice in the destruction of the ring.  The camerlengo there is not a cardinal and the ritual of showing the ring before it is destroyed is not also shown.  So I'd rather trust the one with Anthony Quinn.

For more info about the Ring of the Fisherman and Papal Bulls, click here and here.

And if you are into making your own seals, try reading this.