The tradition of exchanging rings during a wedding is known to everyone, but few people know that in addition to the usual painting in the registry office, this ritual is also performed during the wedding in the church and this requires another pair of jewelry - the so-called wedding rings, which differ from wedding rings. It is believed that in this case, a pair of accessories has a certain special sacred meaning, and at the same time, if it is customary to buy identical wedding rings, wedding rings, on the contrary, should be made of different metal, but it is required that the style of both jewelry be the same.
General information and features of wedding rings
As noted above, wedding rings are different from engagement rings. According to the canon, the men's ring is made of gold, and the women's ring is made of silver, while the style of both products is common. It is almost impossible to purchase such a pair ready-made, so in this case jewelry is often made to order.
Wedding of newlyweds in church
There are two theories to explain this tradition. In the first, it is believed that gold, as a symbol of the sun, denotes a man - the head of the family. And silver is a symbol of the moon, which reflects the sun, and is a symbol of a faithful and submissive wife. The second theory is based on the statements of the Apostle Paul, where he compares the relationship of a married couple with the relationship of Christ and the Church. In a couple, the husband plays the role of Jesus, and the woman plays the role of the Church. The divine essence of God's son is reflected in gold, and silver is a symbol of spiritual light, purity and church grace.
Wedding rings are worn on the ring finger of the right hand, just like wedding rings. The right hand was not chosen by chance, but because in Christianity, believers use it to make the sign of the cross.
How to choose a ring?
The first person to perform a Christian wedding was the Apostle Paul. He explained the rules to future spouses according to which they need to choose Orthodox wedding rings. The groom's should be made of gold, and the bride's should be silver. Since, according to Orthodox canons, gold personifies Divine glory, and silver is a symbol of purity in thoughts and an image of heavenly grace. This rule was very serious, absolutely all those getting married had to adhere to it, and deviation from it was unforgivable for the newlyweds.
Orthodox wedding rings, traditionally, most of the time were made in a simple style, without stones or other decorations. This execution was justified, since when performing work, excessive decorations could only get in the way.
Orthodox traditions treated engraving on wedding rings with the same severity. If the newlyweds nevertheless decided to make inscriptions, then these could be words or quotes from the Bible, as well as the main words “Save and Preserve.” Dates and names of those getting married were usually not engraved.
A mandatory ritual before a wedding was the lighting of wedding rings by a clergyman. Without this mandatory action, the wedding ceremony itself could be considered not to have taken place.
Difference from wedding
All existing differences can be divided into several points:
- Tradition does not impose any restrictions on wedding rings; they can be anything, although most often two identical pieces of different sizes are bought. But a pair of wedding rings should be in the same style, but from different metals. Men's - gold, women's - silver;
- Wedding rings must be made of precious metals; jewelry is not allowed. But now many couples prefer to buy both jewelry from gold, as this metal is of higher quality and durability, and also requires less maintenance;
- The Church does not recognize the desire for material values, therefore wedding rings act as a necessary attribute of the ceremony, so they should be as simple and modest as possible. Pretentious rings with precious stones or various patterns are unacceptable in this case;
- Spouses often stop wearing wedding rings immediately after the wedding, but it is advisable not to take off wedding rings for a long time.
In the modern world, many people do not resort to a wedding ceremony at all. There are two main reasons for this – insufficient faith in God and insufficient faith in one’s own marriage. In the first case, the spouses simply do not need the ceremony, and in the second, concerns about difficulties during a divorce come into force. A union sealed by the church is more difficult to dissolve than simply putting the appropriate signatures on a divorce at the registry office.
Exchange of rings at wedding
Modern traditions of wearing wedding rings
Nowadays, many married couples stop wearing wedding rings after marriage. This is due to work circumstances, safety reasons or simply a desire for comfort. In this case, there is nothing terrible or controversial, the main thing is that both family members do not experience negative emotions about this.
Young couples are looking for new ways of expression and departure from traditions, but, at the same time, preserving family principles. Therefore, more and more people are turning to non-standard ways of handling wedding rings. For example, wearing them in an unusual way - on the neck. For adherents of orthodox practices, a reasonable question arises: won’t a wedding ring on the neck look like an ordinary piece of jewelry and is it even possible to wear it like that? Here, again, everything depends on the type of ring (naturally, a ring with a diamond will look at least strange on the neck), the worldview of the spouses, and family traditions.
Now you know almost everything about how to wear a wedding ring correctly in any life situation and why representatives of different nationalities wear wedding rings on the ring finger. The wedding portal Svadebka.ws notes that our time allows spouses to deviate from traditions and choose for themselves which finger the wedding ring should be on, how to wear it and whether to wear it at all
On which hand is the wedding ring worn in other countries?
Russia is a hospitable and multinational country. Traditions play a big role here, rather than strict regulations. Tradition is the expression of habits that have developed over centuries. Their acceptance is a voluntary choice. It is interesting to watch representatives of other nationalities.
- American traditions completely contradict ours - the ring is on the left hand.
- Spanish, Polish and Norwegian couples wear the wedding symbol on their right hand.
- The French, English and Irish use their left hand to wear the ring.
- Gypsy women string the ring on a thin chain and wear it around their neck. This way the symbol of love will be closer to the heart.
- Asian women decorate and wear wedding bands on... their feet. Their husbands are not ethically obligated to wear a ring.
The French and English wear wedding jewelry on the left hand.
It is believed that Catholics wear wedding rings on their left hand. In reality, this has nothing to do with faith, the choice of hand is a tradition of the country.
In America and Europe
In the United States, the majority of believers are Catholics, whose traditions are opposite to Orthodox customs. Newlyweds in Western Europe extend their left hand on their wedding day , while in the Eastern part they put wedding jewelry on their right hand.
Muslim traditions
Islamic customs do not require Muslim men to wear a wedding accessory.
Important! In ancient times, rulers themselves set fashion: the Shah ordered people to wear jewelry on the index finger, and a colleague from a neighboring state ordered people to wear rings on their little fingers. There were 10 options for wearing jewelry.
Nowadays, Muslims often wear wedding jewelry on their ring fingers; the choice of hand depends on the country of residence. Men are not recommended to wear gold, so platinum or silver is used.
Jewish customs
The Jews do not have a uniform rule regarding wedding jewelry. For secular youth, wearing jewelry is not prohibited; the couple chooses their hand and fingers at will.
The customs are sacred for God-fearing young people: a ring is considered inappropriate for a man; during the ceremony, the accessory is worn on the index finger of the left hand only by the bride (on the middle finger in Jerusalem). After the ceremony is completed, the choice of hand does not matter, but most women prefer the ring finger.
Types of wedding rings
Despite. That decorations should be modest, some types of decor are still allowed. According to them, wedding rings are divided into several types.
Classic
These rings are a pair of smooth rims without any decoration, of varying widths. Wide ones are chosen by men and women with large fingers, while thin ones are chosen by slender girls with long fingers.
Classic gold rings
With engraving
Engraving on Orthodox wedding rings is permitted. The text can be the exchange of spouses, wedding date, vows of love, wedding date or church prayer.
Wedding rings with engraving “Save and Preserve”
With decor
Despite the requirements for modesty, small decorations are still allowed. It is allowed to have a small diamond or a small scattering of diamond chips on a wedding ring. But it is worth keeping in mind that a church minister may completely refuse to perform the ceremony if he is provided with rings with large stones or other various decorations.
Diamond wedding rings
Doubles
In this case, the rings will be exactly the same, but made of different metal and different sizes. It is with such wedding wedding rings that the tradition is considered to be fully respected.
In the form of a ring
Wedding rings contain a small stone or even a cross as decoration, and the rim itself is covered with prayers and church inscriptions. Such rings are somewhat similar to a traditional church cross.
Traditional paired wedding rings
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How to wear it correctly?
Everyone knows the tradition of wearing regular wedding rings on the ring finger of the right hand. But wedding jewelry is worn on the finger on which the priest puts it on during the ceremony. Most often it is also the ring finger of the right hand. By the way, before the ceremony, the wedding pair of accessories is often blessed.
It is important to know that on the day of the wedding ceremony you should not put rings other than wedding rings on your fingers, therefore, if the wedding and painting at the registry office are scheduled for the same day, then in both cases it is advisable to wear wedding rings, and wedding rings will not be needed at all. Another option is to get married and sign on different days, but if the wedding ceremony was held, it is still advisable to wear only wedding rings.
On which finger do Orthodox Christians wear a wedding ring?
According to Christian traditions, two types of Orthodox rings were used in pre-revolutionary Russia. The groom presented the first - the engagement card - to his chosen one immediately after the announcement of the engagement. He put it on the bride's ring finger on her right hand. Then the ring demonstrated to everyone around the firmness and sincerity of the intentions of the two young people to get married. Immediately before the wedding, the bride took off the first ring given to her, and at the event itself the groom put on the second one - the wedding ring. It was put on the same finger, followed by the first engagement ring.
The tradition of exchanging wedding rings existed even before the Christian period. The first rings were woven from reeds and other plants as a symbol of love and fidelity. And in the Middle Ages, the first who began to decorate wedding rings with precious stones and even diamonds were the Italians.
The first famous physicians of Ancient Greece argued that the ring finger is a direct conductor to the human heart. And the round shape of the ring is a symbol of eternal love, which has neither beginning nor end.
What to do if you lose your ring
Losing a ring or even dropping it during a wedding is considered bad luck. This indicates that something in the couple will soon cheat on the spouse. In addition, it is believed that losing a ring can lead to serious health problems. There are a number of signs about the loss of a wedding ring, and all of them do not bode well for a married couple.
Among them, the most popular are the following:
- A couple cheats on their spouse after losing their ring;
- Loss means a serious quarrel or even divorce;
- In a union, there will be a serious waste of money or one of the spouses will have health problems;
- To the imminent death of a loved one.
But the Orthodox Church does not believe in omens, so the clergyman will not regard the loss of an accessory as something terrible. Therefore, if you lose your wedding ring, you should purchase a new one as quickly as possible, and then go to church, explain the situation to the priest and ask him to put the ring back on the throne, as during the ceremony. After the procedure, the jewelry can be worn in the same way as before.
Silver wedding rings
Divorce and wedding rings
There are a huge number of signs and traditions about what to do with wedding rings after a divorce. Things are a little different with wedding rings. The fact is that a marriage concluded through a wedding is more difficult to dissolve than one concluded in the registry office. This procedure is also carried out by the church, but it is very reluctant to do it. But at the same time, the church itself does not believe in folk omens, so it is best to ask the church minister who performed the ceremony about how best to deal with the rings and follow his instructions.
According to folk wisdom, it is believed that it is best to melt a wedding ring into another piece of jewelry after a divorce. People who want to get their spouse back, or those who do not want to start a new family, wear such rings on the ring finger of their left hand.
If jewelry is passed down in a family from generation to generation, then it cannot be melted down, although it should not be worn either. It should simply be kept as a reminder of the past stage of life.
The most common tradition is to simply keep the ring left after a divorce. It is also possible to put it up for sale, but the weight is not recommended, since this symbolizes the abandonment of the part of life in which the spouses were married.
In general, we can say that there are a huge number of signs and beliefs about what you should and shouldn’t do with engagement rings after a divorce. Some of them are mutually exclusive, which once again reminds us that we should not attach too much importance to folk signs and look for secret meanings where there are none. Everyone is free to choose what to do with their ring; they are often returned to the spouse who bought them, sold to pawn shops or for buying, kept as a reminder, and even worn on the left hand as a sign that the person was already married, but is currently divorced and ready for a new relationship.
What do wedding rings mean?
Even if the couple has already officially registered their relationship in the registry office, the husband and wife are already wearing wedding accessories, they are not suitable for a church ceremony. In the temple, other rings are needed for weddings.
The Christian meaning of exchanging wedding jewelry is much deeper than just an outward sign of marital status. To get married in a church is to become a Small Church. The priest reads a prayer to the Almighty asking for God's mercy for the new family, permission to become part of God himself.
Married spouses must remain faithful and support each other and live their whole lives in unanimity, sacrifice, giving birth and raising children, humbly sharing all the hardships and joys for the sake of spiritual ascent to Heaven.
The husband becomes a type of Christ himself, and the wife symbolizes the church. This sacrament binds spouses for centuries, so new rings are definitely needed for the wedding. They mean eternity and indissolubility of the union. While the priest conducts the wedding ceremony, they lie on the right side of the throne. At this time their consecration occurs. The rings acquire power that will protect the union.
The priest then places the jewelry on the husband and wife, and the couple must exchange them three times. Sharing means promising to take responsibility for each other. The wife swears love, fidelity and devotion, and the husband is obliged to provide her with protection and safety.
Signs
In general, if you think about it, signs are not very compatible with religion, however, they contain the age-old wisdom of our ancestors, who drew certain cause-and-effect relationships between certain things when choosing and using wedding rings.
Among the folk signs in this regard, the most popular are the following:
- There is a belief that family life will be the same as wedding rings. This is another reason to buy the simplest products without stones or patterns;
- It is advisable not to let anyone try on wedding rings; it is believed that this will lead to unhappiness in marriage;
- A pair of wedding rings should be purchased at one time and in one place;
- Under no circumstances should you use other people’s rings in rituals, even if they are passed down in the family from generation to generation;
- Before the wedding ceremony begins, it is necessary to remove gloves, since rings are not worn on them;
- It is important that the jewelry is made of one metal, for example, pure gold or pure silver; inclusions of another metal in one ring are not allowed;
- You should not wear other rings on the day of the wedding ceremony.
Compliance with folk superstitions, of course, does not guarantee a lasting marriage; people have definitely followed them for many years for a reason.
Is it possible for an unmarried girl to wear a ring on the ring finger of her right hand?
Girls often choose jewelry and are interested in symbolism. Sometimes the question arises whether it is right for a girl to wear a wedding ring or whether it is advisable to refuse such an act. In most cases, it is inappropriate to decorate a finger taking into account existing traditions, because such an act reduces the chances of meeting potential chosen ones.
Palmists and astrologers note: each finger has a special symbolism
Each finger of the hand is under the protection of one planet or another, and therefore affects the character and habits of people. Jewelry is often worn on a specific finger and tries to activate the desired area , but jewelry should be simple in design and different from engagement rings.
Many peoples believe in the superstition : a single girl should not put a ring on her ring finger, as this will lead to failure in personal relationships and celibacy. In fact, there is some truth in this, because dating will happen less often due to the fact that the other person will think about the lack of opportunities for developing the relationship.
On the other hand, the ring finger is under the beneficial influence of the Sun
Wearing a ring on this finger can promote personal self-expression, finding a partner, and gaining fame and fortune. It is believed that in order to get married, you need to wear a ring on your ring finger, but it is advisable to choose gold jewelry. It is not advisable to choose silver jewelry, as it has an energetically calming effect and makes it difficult to find a soul mate.
Intimate jewelry cannot be given for fitting. If a girl chooses a ring that should attract her chosen one, it is forbidden to give the jewelry to other people to try on.
Also, a married woman should wear a wedding ring and not give it to others. Otherwise, your personal life will be wide open, so your chances of personal happiness will decrease.
Which finger is the engagement ring worn on?
Engagement rings have not been widely used in Russia for a long time. However, the groom expressed his desire to get married with gifts for his future wife and her family members. Among other things, the presented gifts necessarily included a ring.
An engagement accessory can be worn on any hand and any finger. However, traditionally, jewelry is a harbinger of an engagement ring, which means it should be in the same place where the “engagement ring” will soon be. In Russia this is the ring finger of the right hand. .
After the wedding, you don’t have to wear the engagement ring, or you can leave it on either the same finger or any other. You should be guided by personal choice ; a strict tradition on this matter has not yet been formed in Russia.
The modern version of the tradition of giving a ring to a girl for a wedding came to us from the West. Any metal is suitable for it: not necessarily gold. Ideally, the jewelry should include a gemstone.
The Jews first gave the bride a coin, not a ring. This meant that the man took responsibility for material wealth. Jewelry began to be presented much later.
On which finger is the jewelry worn after engagement?
Reference. The bride, who has agreed to the proposal, puts the ring on her finger, where the wedding jewelry will later be.
This will serve as a signal to other applicants that the girl has a fiancé.
What to do with it after the wedding?
There are no rules for wearing an engagement ring after the wedding, so choose a convenient option:
- Change clothes to the opposite hand. This closes both lines of the heart.
- They don't wear it. After the marriage is registered, the jewelry is kept and later passed on to the younger generation.
- Two decorations are put on one finger and must be combined.
Each nation has its own customs, which to follow or not depends on individual preferences. Someone does not wear jewelry at all, ignores the norms, and the union does not become less happy.
Which hand is the wedding ring placed on?
For the wedding ceremony, special rings are selected: without a scattering of stones and as modest as possible. The priest may even refuse to use obscenely expensive jewelry. Simple engraved options are recommended.
Designers all over the world increasingly began to create ready-made sets of engagement and wedding rings. The jewelry is put on in the same way as an engagement ring - on the ring finger of the right hand.
The ring has no beginning and no end. Among the Egyptian pharaohs it was considered a symbol of eternity. The wedding option symbolized eternal love . In US states, when seizing valuables in the event of bankruptcy, you can take everything except wedding rings.
Should I wear it before the wedding?
Those who believe in omens are not recommended to wear jewelry before registering a marriage - this is a sign of trouble, just like the groom seeing the bride’s dress before the wedding.
An unmarried girl often wants to show off her unusual status, but for this she uses an engagement ring. But with an engagement ring, it’s better to wait a little and put on the treasured jewelry no earlier than the wedding day. Then you don't have to worry about unpleasant surprises.
