The tradition of wearing Orthodox wedding rings has been going on since ancient times. Wedding rings are not only a traditional attribute of marriage, but also a symbol of eternal love, mutual understanding, fidelity and constancy in the unity of two people. And they also demonstrate to others that from now on, two people in love not only belong to each other, but also loving hearts are connected by an invisible thread that does not allow them to get lost after earthly life. Newlyweds acquire this symbol of eternal love on the day of their marriage. Special protective prayers are often applied to Orthodox rings.
The modern church has softened its rules and allowed traditional Orthodox wedding rings to be worn for those who marry without a church wedding. But if the ritual is performed by the priest himself, then the Orthodox ringmust be worn on the hand on whose finger it was worn.
Following ancient traditions, all these accessories are made of precious metals. But they can be decorated with stones, engraved with words from a prayer, pledges of allegiance, names, and simply carve intricate ornaments.
History
Before the Christian period, it was customary before the wedding for the groom to give the bride the key to their joint home. Such a gesture symbolized the union of two people and the trust to run a household that previously belonged to a man, a woman - as the keeper of the hearth.
Orthodox wedding rings entered the marriage ritual almost a millennium ago. Previously, Christian laws allowed the use of only rings that did not have additional decoration with stones, but were simple and modest.
Orthodox and Catholic Christians wear rings on different hands. Catholics on the left, Christians on the right.
In ancient Russia, until the middle of the last millennium, the bride and groom wore two different rings during marriage: the groom wore iron, and the bride wore gold. It symbolized the reliability and fidelity of the wife. However, after some time, traditions changed, and both future spouses already wore gold rings.
On which finger do Orthodox Christians wear a wedding ring?
According to Christian traditions in pre-revolutionary Russia, two types of Orthodoxrings. The first - engagement - the groom presented to his chosen one immediately after the announcement of the engagement. He put it on the bride's ring finger on his right hand. Then the ring demonstrated to everyone around the firmness and sincerity of the intentions of two young people to marry. Immediately before the wedding, the bride took off the first ring presented to her, and at the event itself, the groom put on the second in a row - already the wedding ring. It was worn on the same finger, followed by the first wedding band.
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 to decorate wedding rings with precious stones and even diamonds were Italians.
The first famous physicians of ancient Greece claimed 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.
How to choose a ring?
The first who performed a wedding among Christians was the Apostle Paul. He explained the rules for future spouses, according to which Orthodox wedding rings should be chosen. For the groom, it should be made of gold, and for the bride - 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 who were getting married had to adhere to it, and deviation from it was unforgivable foryoung.
Orthodox wedding rings, traditionally, most of the time were made in a simple style, without stones and other decorations. Such a performance was justified, since unnecessary decorations could only interfere with the work.
With the same severity, Orthodox traditions treated engraving on wedding rings. 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 Save”. Dates, names of the spouses were usually not engraved.
The obligatory ritual before the wedding was the lighting of wedding rings by the clergyman. Without this obligatory action, the marriage ceremony itself could not have taken place.
Where to buy?
In the modern world, Orthodox wedding rings can be bought at any store specializing in jewelry, as well as in shops located on the territory of the church. In these places, the products are consecrated by the priest himself. It is believed that the product then acquires protective properties.
Do not forget that now it is not the most important thing what metal the wedding ring is made of, whether it has precious or semi-precious stones, whether there is an engraving or a complex pattern is made - the main meaning of Orthodox rings: eternal and devoted love of two person, mutual respect and willingness to be there in any circumstances.
On which hand do Orthodox Christians wear a wedding ring? Traditionally, wedding rings are worn on the ring finger of the right hand. This is because the Orthodoxa person is baptized with his right hand, performing an action from right to left, and an angel stands to the right of the believer (also with his right hand, a person does good deeds).
Only after the death of the spouse is it allowed to wear the ring on the other hand until the second marriage occurs.
Orthodox silver wedding rings
Metal, which is currently the most common in the manufacture of jewelry, including wedding rings - silver. It has always been considered a symbol of purity, innocence and chastity. Women were especially encouraged to wear silver rings.
As a rule, silver is coated with a special protective layer that prevents it from oxidizing. A thin layer of oxide is well suited for this. But still, after some time, silver products may darken slightly. It doesn't have to be taken as a bad omen. This is a common occurrence. The surface of a silver product is sometimes worth cleaning with soda. It is also believed that silver has a positive effect on the energy of the person wearing it.
Often among silver wedding rings there are models with artificial blackening. They look like jewelry worn by past generations. As a rule, engraving is more often done on silver rings.
Gold rings
Since ancient times, the golden ring for many nations meant the sun, as a symbol of light and joy of life. This canfind confirmation in legends and songs. And in Orthodoxy, gold represents the glory of Christ.
Orthodox wedding ring made of gold is very popular. After all, it will last a long time, and will always look noble and gentle. If you prefer white gold, then such wedding rings can be supplemented with small pebbles. White gold perfectly imitates silver items.
This metal also has a variety in color when it has a shade of pinkish or more yellow. This will help give the engagement ring an original look.
Pair rings
Many lovers are more supportive of models that look the same on the outside, but differ only in size.
Paired Orthodox wedding rings represent the complete unity of the spouses. In this design, they are an exact copy of each other with a difference only in size. There is an option when paired jewelry is not identical to each other, but differ only in elements that are invisible to the ordinary eye.
Double rings are very popular, and this can be explained by the fact that they are perceived as an addition to two loving people getting married, as an alternative to a vow to always be together in any difficult time.
Must wear?
Do Orthodox wedding rings have to be worn? It is considered a sin for believing spouses not to get married and not to adhere to the basic Christian traditions associated with visiting the temple and observing church holidays.
Wedding rings inare not so significant in the scale of a lifetime, so wearing them should not be given much importance, unless the meaning of refusing it is an underlying desire to be free from marital ties.
There is an opinion among the people that if you want to maintain happiness in marriage for a long time, then you should take care of wedding accessories. And above all, this applies to wedding rings, which do not need to be removed without special need.
There is a sign that perfectly shows why Orthodox wedding rings with a smooth surface are most often worn. Such a surface, which does not encounter obstacles in its path, reflects a life without troubles and quarrels. And those newlyweds who are jointly engaged in the choice of rings will certainly be successful in business. It is also worth paying attention to another folk wisdom, which says that it is better to buy wedding rings in one place, then the couple will not have long partings.
