The phrase “bell, book, and candle” is used to refer to a condemnation that is absolute. It is used similar to “throwing the book” at something. The phrase goes back to the Middle Ages and comes from a Catholic Church ritual used to excommunicate a person. Pope Zachary initiated it in the mid-700s. He declared that it would be used to pronounce “anathema” on a person who had committed a terrible sin. It involved a bishop and s dozen priests. The priests carried lit candles and the bishop recited a proclamation that deprived the person of communion, ostracized them from Christian society, kicked them out of the Church, and condemned them to the lowest level of Hell. So, very absolute. After the bishop recited the anathema, the priests recited “So be it!” three times. The bishop rang a bell and closed the Bible, and the priests snuffed out their candles. This threat was taken very seriously by Catholics. It was used on priests and monks that questioned church doctrines and rulers who defied the Pope. For instance, in 996 Pope Gregory V excommunicated King Robert II of France for the sin of incest. He had married his second cousin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell,_book,_and_candle
https://wordhistories.net/2019/09/06/bell-book-candle/
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