Following the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a viral post tells of a tale that when the Pope passes away, to ensure his death, he is struck on the head with a silver or gold hammer three times to confirm that he is well and truly gone and not merely sleeping soundly.
Here are the Facts:
Findings show that the claim was true but not anymore and therefore misleading.
In the past, after the pope dies, an event confirmed when a senior member of staff taps him on the forehead with a silver hammer and calls his baptismal name to make sure he is not just asleep, the cardinals will gather within a fortnight in the Vatican to deliberate in great secrecy on the choice of his successor.
It was not inconceivable because history was dotted with numerous instances of those presumed to have passed away suddenly springing back to life.
As for the silver hammer, it was indeed used to verify the pope’s death, for centuries, until the practice ended with reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.
But the camerlengo is still thought to use a silver mallet to destroy the papal ring and seals, symbolizing the end of the dead pope’s reign. Symbolism aside, though, the act provides a safeguard against forgeries.
Conclusion
Although this tradition was in practice, it is no longer the case as the reforms of the Second Vatican Council of 1960 took care of it.
