Wedding Bands (Teachings of the Orthodox Church) Christianity. Orthodoxy. Catholicism. Sense of life. Articles for Christians.
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.                If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing.                If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.                Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with.               
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Wedding Bands (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)
   

QUESTION:

On which hand should the wedding band reside on a couple married in the Greek Church?

My wife and I recently married and she kept hers on her right hand, while I moved mine to the left. I have heard that it is tradition in the Greek Church to move the band to the left after the honeymoon (after the consecration of the marriage), but have also heard that the band should be kept where the priest put it.

Which is preferred? Also, I am not Greek, but Roman Catholic. Does that make a difference?

ANSWER:

Traditionally Orthodox Christians wear their wedding rings on their right hands, not their left. However, in Europe in general, whether in an Orthodox country or a non-Orthodox country, people wear their rings on the right hand. The custom of wearing rings on the left hand, to my knowledge, is a peculiarly American custom.

Many American Orthodox continue to wear their rings on the right hand; others choose to wear it on the left. There is no such custom in the Orthodox Church of switching the hand after the honeymoon. This may be a Greek custom, but not an Orthodox tradition.






Published in January 2011.









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