Ring of the Fisherman
Preserved but no longer current.
A seal ring with which the pope is invested at his election and used only for sealing papal briefs. .It is officially broken up at his death by the Chamberlain of the Roman Church. Its device is that of St. Peter fishing from a boat.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Ring of the Fisherman” mean?
A seal ring with which the pope is invested at his election and used only for sealing papal briefs. .It is officially broken up at his death by the Chamberlain of the Roman Church. Its device is that of St. Peter fishing from a boat.
Is “Ring of the Fisherman” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.