According to credible reports, modern methods are used to confirm a pope’s death, with no official documents mentioning the practice of tapping the head with a hammer.
A long-standing myth claims that when a pope dies, a ceremonial silver hammer is used to tap his head three times while calling his name to confirm his death. However, there is no official evidence that this ritual has ever been part of the Vatican’s procedures
Historically, the Camerlengo, the official in charge of the Vatican during a transition of power, is responsible for verifying the pope’s death. In the past, this may have included calling the pope’s name and checking for a response. Today, modern medical techniques, such as checking for vital signs, are used to confirm death.
While the silver hammer is part of Vatican tradition—used to break the pope’s official seal and ring after his passing—there is no credible documentation that it was ever used to physically test for death. The idea seems to be a misinterpretation of historical practices rather than an actual ritual followed by the Church.
