On which finger is it customary to wear wedding rings

Different countries have their own traditions for wedding jewelry. They originate in ancient times. Jewelry in the form of a ring carries a deep, intimate meaning - a symbol of eternal love will keep relationships for a long time.

How to wear wedding jewelry

In Russia, wedding rings are worn by spouses on the right hand. Orthodox people rarely think about why this happened. Our mentality is built in such a way that it is the right side that is associated with something reliable and unchanged. The Slavs made the sign of the cross with their right hand.

In the Catholic tradition, the decoration is worn on the left hand. This is how it is done in Western Europe. Wearing a ring on the left hand has been around since Roman times. In addition, Catholics are baptized on the left side in accordance with the papal decree.

Muslims also agree with Catholics that the symbol of marital fidelity must be worn on the left hand. But such rings are worn exclusively by women, because it is considered bad luck for men to acquire or receive gold jewelry as a gift. Gypsies have something else: they hang a symbol of eternal fidelity on a gold chain instead of a pendant.

What are wedding jewelry made of?

Rings are usually made of gold. Previously, noble metals were considered a sign of material well-being. It all depended on what metal was used to create the wedding decoration.

The future husband presented the ring as a gift to the bride's parents and by this he proved that he was rich and had the means to provide for his wife. So the groom wanted to win the favor of relatives who might not give their consent to the wedding.

Iron and copper wedding rings were chosen by poor people. However, this does not mean that the decoration has lost its purpose. On the contrary, it continued to be a symbol of infinity. No wonder the newlyweds made a vow of unbreakable and pure love.

Why is the ring worn on the ring finger?

After archaeological excavations, scientists discovered that the first wedding rings appeared in ancient Egypt. In the country of the sun, many experiments were carried out to study the structure of the human body. Egyptian healers found out that there is a special nerve that goes from the heart to the ring finger of the left hand. Europeans took advantage of ancient knowledge and chose this way of wearing.

The ring symbolized marriage. There is a belief that the jewelry on the ring finger cures any ailments and gives spiritual strength and fortitude. If a person put a ring on his index finger, then he is still looking for his soul mate.

In fact, it does not play a special role on which hand to wear the treasured jewelry. It is much more important that the hearth always remains the center of harmony and well-being. In order for a friendly atmosphere to always reign in the house, and for the spouses to live happily ever after, it is necessary to observe the tradition of wearing a wedding ring. Try not to lose the cherished decoration and do not forget to press the buttons and

30.07.2015 09:30

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We in Russia prefer to wear a wedding ring on the right hand, and many foreigners prefer to wear it on the left. What is the difference if both those and other couples love each other?
According to legend, the ring finger is directly related to the heart, but the choice of hand differs from country to country.
As in any other country, Russian weddings can be different. Some happy couples organize a sumptuous banquet, inviting all distant relatives from different parts of the country. At such celebrations, booze usually flows like water and dancing continues until the morning. Others spend this important day in a small company of their closest people. Some people get married in a church, while others prefer a civil ceremony.
However, there is a ritual that is unchanged at all Russian weddings: the bride and groom exchange wedding rings and put them on each other's ring finger. This tradition is widespread all over the world, but in different countries it is a finger of either the left or right hand. Why do Russians prefer the right one?

From Rome to Moscow

The custom of wearing wedding rings dates back to very ancient times. The Greek historian Plutarch, who lived in 46-120 AD, noted in his writings that the Egyptians wore wedding rings on the fourth finger of their left hand. The ancients believed that a special vein connects this finger to the heart, which means that it is he who symbolizes love and fidelity.
So the Greeks and Romans probably borrowed this tradition from their Egyptian neighbors. But what about the hand? Some researchers believe that the Romans wore a wedding ring on their right hand, since the left was considered bad and unreliable.
The Orthodox Christian Church adopted this custom from the Romans through Byzantium, and then, at the time of the baptism of Rus', it also came to the territory of modern Russia. That is, in a sense, we can say that the Russians inherited the custom of putting on wedding rings on their right hands from Caesar and Cicero.

Hands are different, the essence is one

At the same time, religious differences do not unambiguously determine the answer to the question of which hand is more suitable for an engagement ring. More precisely, the choice of hand depends not only on religious beliefs, but also on the customs of the country. For example, in Catholic Poland, married people wear rings on their right hand, as in Orthodox Greece.
As for Western European countries and the United States, most residents prefer the left hand, because. it is believed that it is closer to the heart. It also happens that a couple wears one ring during the engagement, and another during the marriage. These rings can be worn on different hands.
In general, it is not so important on which hand you wear the ring, what is much more important is what it symbolizes, namely the purity and constancy of the feelings of two loving people.

The tradition of wearing wedding rings exists in almost all nations. But many have their own peculiarities in the ways of wearing. The www.site portal will trace the variety of such rituals, as well as figure out where the wedding rings came from.

History of wedding rings

According to the finds of archaeologists, the first rings appeared in ancient Egypt. They were used by the pharaohs as a personal seal and confirmation of their own will. The birth of the rite of betrothal dates back to the same time. The groom brought a metal ring to the bride's parents as a symbol of his responsibility to them. Subsequently, such rings became bronze, and then silver. Since then, the ritual has taken hold and has successfully survived to this day.

How is an engagement ring different from others?

Today there are three types of wedding rings - engagement, engagement and wedding. The engagement ring is given to the bride by the groom at the time of the marriage proposal. This jewelry is intended only for women, it is made of gold or silver.

The wedding ring is a pair, designed for both the groom and the bride. It is the wedding rings that the couple exchanges at the registry office. They are made of expensive metals, possibly with inserts of precious stones.

Wedding rings are intended for those couples who decide to consolidate family ties in the bosom of the church and go through the wedding ceremony. They exist only in the Orthodox tradition.

On which finger is a woman's wedding ring worn?

On the ring finger of the left hand

There is a legend that from the time of Ancient Egypt, women wore rings on the ring fingers of the left hand, because the heart and this particular finger are connected by a thin nerve.

Over time, the question of which finger a wedding ring is worn on has been resolved in different ways. For example, in the Middle Ages, it was not uncommon for many kings to issue decrees regulating the rules for wearing rings. And there were up to ten different options, including thumbs.

After the strengthening of the positions of Catholicism and Protestantism in Europe, clear rules for wearing a wedding ring were established. So, the place was again assigned to the ring finger of the left hand. This was due to the same reason as in ancient times - closeness to the heart. Today this tradition is honored by England, Germany, France, Canada, the USA, Brazil and others. Muslims adhere to the same custom.

On the ring finger of the right hand

In this case, the rules are again dictated by religion. For example, the ring finger of the right hand, where a wedding ring is worn in Russia, is an Orthodox tradition. According to the canons, everything that is connected with the right side of the body is considered correct. In other cases, in the conditions of multi-confessional Russia, spouses wear wedding rings on the finger they themselves see fit, or in accordance with other beliefs.

In addition, women often wear their wedding and engagement rings on the same finger. In this case, you need to think in advance about how to choose an engagement ringso that it matches the engagement ring in style and performance.

Other cases

There are peoples who have alternative ways of wearing rings:

• according to Jewish tradition - on the index finger;
• according to gypsy customs - on a chain around the neck;
• among the peoples of the North Caucasus, according to tradition, rings are not worn at all after the wedding.

Sometimes there are cases when the bride or groom wears a wedding ring on the middle finger of the right hand. Such behavior can sometimes be interpreted by others as defiant and contrary to the social laws of morality and rules of conduct. However, there is a very specific explanation for this. The reason may be that the size of the ring is not suitable for the ring finger. Therefore, if its wearer or wearer does not want to go to a jewelry workshop for fitting or purchase another, for example, a wider ring for the bride, then it moves to the middle finger of the right hand.

On which finger do men wear their wedding ring?

There are no separate rules for men. Everything is determined by the following factors:

1. nationality,
2. religion,
3. personal preferences.

On which finger do widows and widowers wear a wedding ring?

The wedding ring is a symbol of endless marital fidelity. Therefore, even after the death of a spouse, their second half, as a sign of devotion, does not stop wearing a wedding ring, especially if it is a personalized engraved wedding ring.

If widowers continue to do this, as they did during the life of their beloved, then there are several behaviors for widows:

• A woman removes her ring from the ring finger of her right hand and wears the ring of her departed spouse in this place.
• The woman removes her ring from the ring finger of her right hand and wears it on the ring finger of her left hand.
• The woman wears two wedding rings on the ring finger of her left hand.

All these cases are purely voluntary and are not mandatory or traditional. Only the widow herself can decide how to deal with the things of her beloved.

Modern traditions of wearing wedding rings

Nowadays, many couples stop wearing wedding rings after they get married. This is due to work circumstances, safety considerations, or simply a desire for comfort. In this case, there is nothing terrible and contradictory, the main thing is that both family members do not experience negative emotions about this.

Young couples are looking for new ways of expressing and breaking away from tradition, but at the same time, preserving family fundamentals. Therefore, more and more people are turning to non-standard ways of handling wedding rings. For example, wearing them in an unusual way - around the neck. For adherents of orthodox orders, a reasonable question arises: won't a wedding ring around the neck look like an ordinary piece of jewelry and can it even be worn like that? Here, again, everything depends on the type of ring (naturally, a diamond ring will look at least strange on the neck), the worldview of the spouses, and family traditions.

Now you know almost everything about how to properly wear a wedding ring in any life situations and why representatives of different nationalities wear wedding rings on the ring finger. The wedding portal Svadbka.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.

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The history of the rite of putting on rings is rooted in the depths of centuries and to this day remains completely unsolved. There are many versions explaining why and on which hand family people from different countries of the world wear wedding rings. This is partly due to religion, the characteristics of the human body, or even prejudice.

Why a gold ring?

People have been wearing jewelry since ancient times. They were made from different metals, but gold was more valuable. A man who gave a girl (in some countries - her parents) a gold engagement ring with a marriage proposal became a guarantee that her beloved would live in abundance.

An engagement ring is a sign of an endless love affair. By exchanging this attribute, the young promise to love each other, to remain faithful forever.

What does form mean? In shape, they resemble chain links that seem to bind the main characters of the newly-made family with close ties.

On the left hand

The flaunting attribute of family life on the phalanx of the finger of the left hand is a tradition acceptable by Catholics. They tend to the theory that the rite came from ancient Egyptian times. In those ancient hours, doctors understood the structure of the body and allegedly discovered the presence of a vein passing from the left hand to the region of the heart. Her called "love vein". Hence it was customary that the ring on the left palm means love.




Now the ring is worn by Armenians, Americans, Azerbaijanis, Turks, Slovaks, British and other Catholic countries.

Considering how Muslims wear a wedding band, we note that initially their culture did not provide for this ceremony. It was the result of the influence of Western traditions. The females put on This is a decoration for the left arm., and Islam forbids men to wear gold.

On the right hand

In Orthodoxy, this attribute should be on the right side. One of the theories explains this in such a way that the left side was accepted as sinful and impure, and the right side was accepted as true, fair. After all, it is with the right hand that you need to sign various kinds of documents. couples wear fidelity attributes on the right hand in Russia, as well as in such countries of the world as: Austria, Ukraine, Greece, Peru, Colombia. Among the Germans, newly-married couples wear rings before the official ceremony on the left ring finger, and after that on the right. In India, it is allowed to decorate any side. Jewish traditions provide for a ceremony when the future spouse crowns the index finger of the right hand of the betrothed with gold jewelry, and only after official registration can married women change their placement by putting on the phalanx of the ring or middle finger.




Signs

Rings given to a young couple by their grandparents, who lived their lives in inseparable marriage and harmony, will bring happiness. The rings of deceased relatives better not to wear and look at the new.

Orthodox people say that you should not let them try on an engagement ring before the wedding, but if the bridegroom's girlfriend touches it after, she can also get married soon.

An interesting ancient custom was when the wedding jewelry of the future newlyweds was immersed in one container with water, completely frozen. Since water is the carrier of information, the rings "remember" that they were inseparable in a block of ice. The owners of this pair of rings will experience mutual attraction for life.




Not always by which side the wedding ring is worn, religion can be judged , marital status or nationality. Divorced couples often wear this attribute on the opposite hand, while widows do not wear them at all. It is customary for gypsies to wear a wedding band around their necks. It does not play a significant role how and where men and women wear it. The important thing is that this piece of jewelry was and remains a symbol of endless love and fidelity.

The wedding ring has long been considered a symbol of marital fidelity. Mystical properties are attributed to this item, and certain traditions have always been associated with it. The exchange of wedding rings between spouses at a wedding takes place in many countries, and very often the question arises of which hand to put it on.

Meaning

The meaning of this important accessory is determined by the culture of the people, there are three main versions of what it means. In ancient times, this decoration was brought by the groom to the family of his beloved, by this he showed that he had every opportunity to provide for his future wife. Parents could be convinced of the well-being of their betrothed daughter.

According to another version, putting a ring on a finger, the future spouses made a vow of love, endless and immortal. The ring is a symbol of infinity. According to the third opinion, these objects were links of one chain, and it unites husband and wife forever.

Wedding ring - how to wear a woman / man

How to wear a wedding ring is the main question that worries the newlyweds. Historians discovered the first jewelry during excavations in ancient Egypt. The nobility used rich accessories made of precious metals, and poor people used iron ones.

Due to the high knowledge of anatomy in the old days, healers believed that the wedding ring must be worn on the left hand.

In ancient times, the decision on how this item should be worn was determined by the rulers. There were countries where they were even worn on the thumb. Each nation has its own traditions regarding the rules for wearing wedding rings.

On which hand they wear a wedding ring, depending on religion

The rule of wearing these accessories is largely determined by religion.

Christians

Orthodox Christians consider everything that is connected with the right side of the human body to be correct. In countries where Christianity is practiced, wedding rings are worn only on the right hand. This is practiced in Russia, Greece, Ukraine, Belarus. Widows change the ring on the opposite hand.




Muslims

Muslims prefer to wear jewelry on their left hand, expressing tribute to traditions. However, this rule does not apply to men. In the East, men are not supposed to walk in gold, this is a sign of bad taste. Muslims either do not wear gold accessories or wear silver jewelry.

Catholics

Followers of Catholicism and Protestantism put rings on the ring finger of the left hand. Historically, this has happened in the countries of North and South America and some European countries (France, Austria, Germany, Spain), Australia. Catholics explain this tradition by saying that the left hand is closer to the heart, which is also located on the left.




Who and where wears on the left hand

In many countries, it is customary to wear jewelry on the ring finger of the left hand. But in other countries, the situation may be different, European women prefer to wear a ring on their index finger, and gypsies generally wear this accessory on a chain.


On the left hand, the wedding ring is not worn by chance; the ringed person thus expresses warm feelings for his soulmate from the bottom of his heart. But on the other hand, the right hand has always been considered a symbol of wisdom, and was associated with the right decisions.

The question often arises on which hand the Armenians wear the accessory, because they cannot be attributed to Catholics and Christians. Armenians prefer to wear this important element on their left hand. The explanation is simple - the energy of love passes through the left hand, which supports the family in difficult periods.

Not all Catholics wear a wedding ring on their left hand; in some countries (Spain, Austria, Norway), this item is put on the right hand. And the inhabitants of Cuba, Mexico, France, Turkey, Japan, Canada support the traditions.

Who wears on the right

According to Russian traditions, in Russia it is customary to wear a ring on the right hand on the ring finger. It is customary to wear wedding and engagement rings on the same hand in Israel, India, Greece, Georgia, Norway, Spain, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Poland. In Holland, those who do not support Catholicism support this tradition.

As for the engagement ring, there are no specific rules for wearing it in Russia, so each person independently makes a choice on which finger to put it on. In most cases, the left hand is ringed, but some women prefer to wear it with a wedding band.




Wearing a wedding ring on special occasions

The ring on the ring finger is an indicator of status, but it can be evidence of not only marriage. It is worn in a certain way during divorce and widowhood.

Divorce


It happens that love passes, and two recently close people become strangers. How to wear the accessory in this case, and is it worth doing it at all? After a divorce, ex-spouses, as a rule, simply remove the wedding ring.

The question of where to put the accessory after this, everyone decides for himself. The opinion of many men is simply to hand it over to a pawnshop. Girls often regret throwing it away, but you should not give your jewelry to another person.

Leaving it in your box is strange to say the least. Who wants to ring a woman with an object that a former spouse gave.

The female view of these things is simple, often it just changes into the other hand and is worn on. But there are signs according to which you should not leave this accessory, it will remind you of the past. A new life is easier to start from scratch.

Another point concerns the question of whether it is possible to wear someone else's ring. Any decoration carries the energy of the owner, whether it is worth transferring it and personal troubles to another person. After all, if the ring did not bring happiness to one person, it is unlikely that it will become happy for another. Therefore, wearing someone else's wedding ring is not recommended.

Death of one of the spouses

Accessory after the death of one of the spouses must be worn on the other hand. This is a symbol of fidelity to a loved one even after death. Some women take off their jewelry and put the husband's ring on their left hand as a sign of eternal connection, or wear both at once on the ring finger.

In general, the widow herself decides whether it is worth continuing to wear this important accessory.




Signs associated with wedding rings

Wedding rings, according to people, are a magical symbol of marital ties. Naturally, many signs and beliefs are associated with them.


You can’t let anyone try on your ring, let alone wear it. If it is impossible to refuse a request for a fitting, then it should be handed over only by laying it on the table.

It is returned in the same way, and before putting on the accessory should be held under running water or in a salt solution for a while.

You can not get engaged with rings that came after a divorced couple or from a widow. But if the rings passed to the young from grandparents, who lived their whole lives in love and harmony and are alive at the time of the wedding, this is considered a lucky omen. You can use the rings of spouses who have lived happily for more than 25 years.

In some countries, freezing rings in a glass of water has been practiced. It was believed that when the water thaws, these objects remember their unity, and will always reach out to each other, supporting the spouses in family life.

An unmarried girl can casually touch the bride's ring at a wedding or take the box where it lay. This will lead to the fact that soon she herself will marry. To believe or not in these signs is a personal matter for every woman.

Many girls are interested in the question of whether it is possible to wear an engagement ring before the wedding.. According to popular beliefs, this cannot be done. This can cause unpleasant moments during the marriage ceremony or even the cancellation of the wedding.

Engagement ring

After the matchmaking followed a beautiful ceremony, which was called the engagement. The young man asked for the hand of his betrothed from her father. And on this significant day, the groom proposed to the girl and gave her a ring, which is usually called an engagement ring in honor of the event.


On which hand should an engagement ring be worn? Some put it on the right hand, and wear it on the ring finger until the wedding, until it is replaced by an engagement ring. Further, the engagement ring is either worn together with the wedding ring, or worn on the other hand. At the same time, they must be combined with each other, be made of the same material and similar in texture.

In the West, they prefer to remove it altogether after the wedding, after which it becomes a family heirloom and is passed down from generation to generation. In Germany, they put the ring on the left hand, after the marriage, changing clothes on the right.

The engagement ring should be worn without removing it until the wedding itself, and carefully protected. It is a symbol of the beginning of a happy family life. His loss, according to signs, leads to the breakdown of the marriage.

After the wedding ceremony, you can wear an engagement ring on any finger of the right or left hand, some prefer to do it all the time, others use it as a beautiful accessory when attending significant festive events.

Violating wedding customs is not worth it. But at the same time, one should not forget that a long and happy marriage is primarily ensured by sincere love and fidelity of both spouses.