Wedding Bands (Teachings of the Orthodox Church) Christianity. Orthodoxy. Catholicism. Sense of life. Articles for Christians.
“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.                “You shall have no other gods before me.                “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.                “You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.                “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.                “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.                “You shall not murder.                “You shall not commit adultery.                “You shall not steal.                “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.                “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
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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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