Hammers, hah

[celticdragonfly]

Okay, so zoethe was posting about the updates on the Pope's condition, and someone commented that when Popes died, they would be hit with a silver hammer to the forehead three times.

I asked about it, and got further details.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camerlengo gives all the information on what
they do to confirm the pope has died.

"Chief among the present responsibilities of the Camerlengo is the formal determination of the death of the reigning Pope; the traditional procedure for this was to strike gently the Pope's head three times with a golden hammer and to call his name. After the Pope is declared to be dead, the Camerlengo removes the Fisherman's Ring from his finger and cuts it with shears in the presence of the Cardinals, and also destroys the face of the Pope's seal with the golden hammer. These acts symbolize the end of the late Pope's authority. The Camerlengo then notifies the appropriate officers of the Roman Curia and the Dean of the College of Cardinals."

As I'm opening the comment email and reading it, the All-Beatles program starts "Maxwell's Silver Hammer".

Snork. What are the odds?

I expect there's some twisted individual out there that could filk it.

[disclaimer, the man deserves respect, and I wish him a peaceful passing. But I have a twisted sense of humor]

Comments

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, the Radio Fairy gives you the song you need at the very right moment!

Frankly, this conflicting reports thing is just SO Monty Python. "I'm not dead yet... I'm getting better..."

[prodigal.livejournal.com]

Bang, bang, Camerlengo's hammer smacked His Holiness' head
Clang, clang, Camerlengo's hammer made sure John Paul was dead...

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

"The present Camerlengo is His Eminence Eduardo Cardinal Martínez Somalo, J.C.D., Titular Archbishop of Tagora, appointed by His Holiness the Supreme Pontiff on April 5, 1993."

Eduardo. Go for it.