Wedding rings

[Petronius]

At what hand do you traditionally bear the wedding rings ?
I noticed different tradions going thru Catholics and Orthodox (protetsnats and other cult would probably follow the background of environment).
In former USSR and Poland, the wedding ring is born at the right hand.
Probably in all other European countries it is born at the left hand, but not 100% sure about Greece and Bulgaria...

[Annoula]

hm... am not married, but i think engaged wear it on the right hand, and married on the left hand.

i don't like rings and jewlery in general so i think i will have a problem if i ever marry!!!!
heheeeehehee

[Oblio]

Alexandra and I wear ours on the right which is the Russian tradition. The Betrothal ceremony specifically places them on the right. One of the reasons is that Biblically, the right side, is the side of honor. We were told that if we wanted to, we could switch them after the ceremony.

[Oblio]

Another interesting point is that the rings are swapped between the couple three times by the best man, in the name of the Holy Trinity. In that way each ends up wearing the others ring at the completion.

[Petronius]

Another interesting point is that the rings are swapped between the couple three times by the best man, in the name of the Holy Trinity. In that way each ends up wearing the others ring at the completion.

It means that, first time, one get the other's ring so after swapping 3x remain with own ring. "Own" is ment actally from a dimensional point of view, because in overhwhelming cases, man and woman have different fingers diameters, where the women's is thinner

[Oblio]

"Own" is ment actally from a dimensional point of view, because in overhwhelming cases, man and woman have different fingers diameters, where the women's is thinner


Correct. Fr. explained that the thinner ring on my finger at the start of the swap was 'mine' (though dimensionally hers) and she would end up wearing it.

[repentant]

Orthodox tradition is for the Priest to place the ring on the right hand. When you are married this is what happens. Now depending on the couple and where they live, like in America some couples after the ceremony put them on the left just because of the American custom, and it would identify you as married more so than the right hand. But most Orthodox couples I know, leave it on their right.

[Ioan cel Nou]

Well, in our marriage (in Romania), I started the betrothal ceremony with my wife's wedding band on my right hand and ended up with mine on my left (the priest passed the rings from one person to the other and from right hand to left hand). That appears to be the norm for Romanian Orthodox and I've rarely seen a Romanian with a wedding band on their right hand, though I was also told that it doesn't really matter either way. My wife and I and, so far as I know, everyone ion our parish, incuding the Priest, wear our wedding bands on our left hands.

James

[Oblio]

That appears to be the norm for Romanian Orthodox and I've rarely seen a Romanian with a wedding band on their right hand, though I was also told that it doesn't really matter either way. My wife and I and, so far as I know, everyone ion our parish, incuding the Priest, wear our wedding bands on our left hands.


True, it is just a tradition and does not really 'matter'. We both like the symbolism and for me at least it reminds me of my faith (by being different). It also leads on occasion as a opening to talk about Orthodoxy when people ask why our bands are on the right.

[ufonium2]

In the area where I grew up (rural Appalachia) old men didn't wear--or even own--wedding rings. My grandpa has never had one. So I'm wondering if there are other parts of the world where only women traditionally wear wedding rings.

[choirfiend]

Wedding bands were worn on the left because of custom that there was a vein in that finger which ran straight to the heart. Orthodox in general place the ring on the right. Read the wedding service and you'll see all the references to the ring on the right hand of whomever, OT saints mostly. We cross ourselves with our right hands, and we wear the rings on the right hand. No biggie if you dont, but I prefer the right hand as is placed by the priest.

[Tsarina]

At what hand do you traditionally bear the wedding rings ?
I noticed different tradions going thru Catholics and Orthodox (protetsnats and other cult would probably follow the background of environment).
In former USSR and Poland, the wedding ring is born at the right hand.
Probably in all other European countries it is born at the left hand, but not 100% sure about Greece and Bulgaria...

I remember some Greek waiter at a resturant telling me, that in Greece, people wear their wedding rings on the right hand.

[Khaleas]

I wore my engagement ring on the left hand, but at the wedding after I got my wedding ring on my right I switched the engagement ring over to my right. Father said we could pick what hand we want to keep them on. Kevin was very happy with right since his Academy ring is fitted (seal sides facing in particular directions etc) for his left.

Funny thing was I had a very hard time getting used to wearing my ring on the left hand, but when I had them on my right hand I've had no problems at all. I barely notice them now and only take them off when I clean the house, work out, do dishes and shower.

We ended up with our own rings at the betrothal.

[Wiffey]

We're GOA, and at our wedding the rings ended up on our right hands. So that is where they stay. That is also the custom in Greece. A lot of Greek-Americans do move the rings to the left hand after the ceremony, though. I'd say about 90% of young marrieds at our parish wear the rings on the left.

[Maximus]

My wife and I were first married at ZAGS in Moscow, because the Russian Federation requires a civil service in order for a couple to get married. Only afterwards were we able to get married in the Church.

We wear our rings on the right hand.

[Ioan cel Nou]

Wedding bands were worn on the left because of custom that there was a vein in that finger which ran straight to the heart. Orthodox in general place the ring on the right. Read the wedding service and you'll see all the references to the ring on the right hand of whomever, OT saints mostly. We cross ourselves with our right hands, and we wear the rings on the right hand. No biggie if you dont, but I prefer the right hand as is placed by the priest.

Well, I wear my ring where the priest placed it also, it's just that that's on the left hand. That's normal in Romanian Orthodox weddings. We start the service with the ring that's destined for the spouse on the right hand and the priest takes it from us and places it on our spouse's left hand. It's just a little 't' tradition to wear it on the right in some, notably Russian, but not all churches. There are many other minor differences in weddings from church to church - the Greeks wear floral crowns, the Russians have metal crowns held above their heads and the Romanians are in between, wearing metal crowns on their heads. These are all just minor differences in local customs that have absolutely no real significance. If wearing a wedding band on the right becomes a talking point then fine. My band also often becomes a talking point because it's a Romanian ring of rose gold with an incised pattern - you don't see such things here in Britain. More often, though, the way people find out I'm Orthodox is when they invite me for lunch or a drink during one of the fasts. Some of them have been interested, but I've yet to actually convince anyone to come to the Liturgy with me except out of pure curiosity, so I see the talking point idea as being of very minor importance.

James

[Oblio]

the Greeks wear floral crowns, the Russians have metal crowns held above their heads

We used the Greek crowns so we could afford to keep them and put them in our wedding/icon box along with our candles. :)

[Ioan cel Nou]

We used the Greek crowns so we could afford to keep them and put them in our wedding/icon box along with our candles. :)

Romanians don't normally keep the crowns, they belong to the church. However, my godmother married a Greek Cypriot in Sibiu. Their tradition is that they are buried with their wedding crowns so as a compromise they had both the floral crowns and the metal ones and kept the floral ones afterwards. The floral crowns were wrapped around the metal ones - it makes for strange but interesting wedding photos!

James

[WhatIsTruth]

Could some one possible give me a link so I could read the Orthodox Wedding Service and some other things so I could read up more on the significance on the ring on the right hand?

I mainly would like to read a Orthodox Wedding Service and if anyone could help me with biblical points so that I could read up on the right side significance I would appreciate it alot.

Thanks a bunch!

In Christ,
Erica

[Oblio]

Romanians don't normally keep the crowns, they belong to the church. However, my godmother married a Greek Cypriot in Sibiu. Their tradition is that they are buried with their wedding crowns so as a compromise they had both the floral crowns and the metal ones and kept the floral ones afterwards. The floral crowns were wrapped around the metal ones - it makes for strange but interesting wedding photos!

James

I think it is the same with Russians, or at least most do not keep them because of the cost to buy them is so high, therefore they are purchased by the church for multiple uses. Our parish offered to buy a set of metal crowns, but we liked the Greek (and we have several Greeks at our OCA parish) tradition of keeping the crowns, and we received a blessing to purchase the less expensive floral crowns and keep them.

[Oblio]

The Sacrament of Marriage (http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/marriage.htm)

[Oblio]

From the service of Betrothal

And repeating these words three times, he places the ring on the bride's finger. The best man exchanges the rings on the fingers of the bridal pair. This symbolizes the voluntary union, in which each party gives up some rights and assumes certain responsibilities. The round form of the ring symbolizes the irrevocable nature of the union.

Next the priest says the following prayer:

O Lord, our God, who didst accompany the servant of the patriarch Abraham into Mesopotamia, when he was sent to seek a wife for his lord Isaac to espouse, and who, by means of drawing of the water at the well, didst reveal to him that he should betroth Rebecca: Do Thou, the same Lord, bless also the betrothal of these Thy servants, (name), and, (name), and confirm the promise that they have made. Establish them in the holy union which is from Thee. For in the beginning Thou didst make them male and female, and by Thee the woman is joined unto the man as a helper and for the procreation of the human race. Therefore, O Lord our God, who hast sent forth Thy truth upon Thy inheritance, and Thy covenant unto Thy servants, our fathers, Thine elect from generation to generation: Look upon Thy servant, name, and Thy handmaid, name, and establish and make firm their betrothal, in faith and in oneness of mind, in truth and in love.

For Thou, O Lord, hast declared that a pledge should be given and confirmed in all things. By a ring power was given to Joseph in Egypt; by a ring Daniel was glorified in the land of Babylon; by a ring the uprightness of Tamar was revealed; by a ring our heavenly Father showed His mercy upon His Son, for He said: place a ring upon His right hand, and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry. By Thine own right hand, O Lord, Thou didst arm Moses in the Red Sea; by Thy true word the heavens were established, and the foundations of the earth were made firm; and the right hands of Thy servants also shall be blessed by Thy almighty word and by Thine upraised arm. Therefore, O Master, bless now this putting-on of rings with Thy heavenly blessing, and let Thine angel go before them all the days of their life. For Thou art He that blesses and sanctifies all things, and unto Thee are due all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and unto ages and ages. Amen

[WhatIsTruth]

But the tradition of placing it on the right hand? Where did that come from?

Sorry for some many questions...

[Oblio]

by a ring our heavenly Father showed His mercy upon His Son, for He said: place a ring upon His right hand, and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry. By Thine own right hand, O Lord, Thou didst arm Moses in the Red Sea; by Thy true word the heavens were established, and the foundations of the earth were made firm; and the right hands of Thy servants also shall be blessed by Thy almighty word and by Thine upraised arm.

[WhatIsTruth]

Interesting... :) Thanks for the info! Its much clearer now. :)

[choirfiend]

But the tradition of placing it on the right hand? Where did that come from? Sorry for some many questions...

It's always been that way. Read the Oblio quote above and notice where it mentions placing the ring on the right hand. The right hand is the hand of power (Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father, etc). The right hand tradition goes back to pre-Christian times. I believe that rings were placed on the right hand in the Jewish betrothal as well...

You can watch an Orthodox wedding with commentary here. (http://www.goarch.org/en/multimedia/video/#sacraments)
(disclaimer-I completely agree that it's a t-radition. I think there is more purpose for the right hand according to the words of the ceremony, though, so it will be right handed for me when that happens someday!!)

[Kolya]

Seraphima loves rings - I think she has rings for all her fingers except her thumbs.:D

But Re the OP, when we were heterodox we wore our wedding bands on our left hands. After our crowning earlier this year, we changed to the right hand. I had to have my band enlarged. I had a "traditional" ruussian Tri-band (White, Yellow and Red Gold) ring made which we used for this ceremony. Seraphima also received a Silver ring from a Russian friend that has a prayer to the Theotokos engraved in it. She wears those two rings together on her right hand.
When we go to social functions, or as her whim takes her, she also wears her old engagement and wedding band on her left hand. So it is no big deal.
But she and I never remove our wedding bands from our right hands now after the crowning.
Kolya

[Oblio]

I had a "traditional" ruussian Tri-band (White, Yellow and Red Gold) ring made which we used for this ceremony.


These are fairly uncommon in the US, in fact the only place I could find them in the West was in Oz and they were from a distributor, IOW I couldn't buy one. The trick is to ask your jeweler for a roll ring :) We bought ours down the street in Bible Belt USA (though they did have to order it from Atlanta)

[Ioan cel Nou]

These are fairly uncommon in the US, in fact the only place I could find them in the West was in Oz and they were from a distributor, IOW I couldn't buy one. The trick is to ask your jeweler for a roll ring :) We bought ours down the street in Bible Belt USA (though they did have to order it from Atlanta)

Strange. They're dead easy to find in Britain. What you won't find is the sort of ring I wear - rose gold with an incised pattern. They're very comon in Romania, though. In fact rose gold generally seems to be more common than white or yellow in Romania.

James

[choirfiend]

Russia, too, I have been told and demonstrated to by Russians.

[Khaleas]

I picked up my wedding present ( a ring) that had been resized yesterday and also got myself what I call a travel ring. It's a rather plain white gold ring that I'm just going to wear when I go places like Russia or go hiking or fishing. My travel insurance doesn't cover the price of my wedding and engagement rings and my home insurance doesn't cover it outside the US.
When I went to Russia this past summer I wore my rolling ring on my right hand and another plain band on the right. Definitely did the trick...
A lot of flight stewardesses who are single actually wear fake rings to ward off men (and I'm sure it's true for other professions too).


Seraphima loves rings - I think she has rings for all her fingers except her thumbs.:D

But Re the OP, when we were heterodox we wore our wedding bands on our left hands. After our crowning earlier this year, we changed to the right hand. I had to have my band enlarged. I had a "traditional" ruussian Tri-band (White, Yellow and Red Gold) ring made which we used for this ceremony. Seraphima also received a Silver ring from a Russian friend that has a prayer to the Theotokos engraved in it. She wears those two rings together on her right hand.
When we go to social functions, or as her whim takes her, she also wears her old engagement and wedding band on her left hand. So it is no big deal.
But she and I never remove our wedding bands from our right hands now after the crowning.
Kolya

[ufonium2]

I picked up my wedding present ( a ring) that had been resized yesterday and also got myself what I call a travel ring. It's a rather plain white gold ring that I'm just going to wear when I go places like Russia or go hiking or fishing.

The trick is to have a really cheap wedding ring to begin with. I think mine was $20. The engagement ring was quite a bit more, but I don't wear it when I'm kayaking, etc.

When my parents got married (in the 70s), they paid $99 for both wedding bands and the engagement ring, as a set. I think being a tightwad is genetic.

[Oblio]

If I have to remove mine (yard work etc) I thread it on the chain that holds my Cross, so it rests next to it.

[Tsarina]

I picked up my wedding present ( a ring) that had been resized yesterday and also got myself what I call a travel ring. It's a rather plain white gold ring that I'm just going to wear when I go places like Russia or go hiking or fishing. My travel insurance doesn't cover the price of my wedding and engagement rings and my home insurance doesn't cover it outside the US.
When I went to Russia this past summer I wore my rolling ring on my right hand and another plain band on the right. Definitely did the trick...
A lot of flight stewardesses who are single actually wear fake rings to ward off men (and I'm sure it's true for other professions too).

Many girls i know wear fake rings to ward of men. It's so common now, and it works somtimes. However, it's not working for some of them, are they doing somthing wrong?