On which hand do men wear a wedding ring?

The exchange of wedding rings during the marriage ceremony is a good old ritual. But in the recent past, after the wedding, only women wore them all the time, while men considered it optional. In recent years, there has been a tendency to wear this accessory on the part of men. Consider the features of the tradition, how it is customary to wear rings in different countries, and what an accessory means when worn on the right or left male hand.

Wedding rings - the main attribute of marriage in any country in the world. All lovers exchange rings during the wedding ceremony. The tradition that emerged many centuries ago is still supported today. Historians have established that the ancient Egyptians were its ancestors.

Why did the ring become a family symbol? The ring is a circle, which, as you know, has been endowed with mystical properties for a long time. Without beginning or end, the circle signifies unity, strength and infinity. According to this version, two loving souls, having decided to tie themselves in the sacred bonds of marriage, become one, and their connection, like a strong circle, is no longer possible to break.

On the wedding day, the Egyptians in love put thin rings on each other's ring finger of their left hand: the rich are made of an alloy of gold, the poor are woven from reeds. This finger was not chosen by chance. Egyptian healers assured that blood vessels run through it, going to the main organ - the heart, which does not allow feelings to fade away.

The Greeks also supported the tradition of putting the accessory on the ring finger., according to their mythology, he is patronized by Aphrodite - the goddess of love. A ringed finger is evidence of strong feelings and an upcoming wedding or an already concluded marriage.

Rings were also the guardian of love and family ties of the Slavs. The tradition of their exchange appeared since pagan times, in the era of worship of the god of the Sun, passion and fertility - Yarila.

In ancient Russia, the matrimonial symbol was worn on the index finger. The ring had to be necessarily smooth, without any patterns or bends, then the life of the couple would develop smoothly. On the day of the ceremony, the groom presented to the bride golden a ring that personified the male energy of the Sun. The girl gave her beloved in response silver a ring with the pacifying energy of the moon. Thus, according to legend, during the exchange of rings, marital balance was established, and a family harmony was concluded.

Today, the wedding ring remains the main attribute confirming the status of a marriage. It is worn on the ring finger, and depending on the country of residence and religious views, on the left or right hand.

In Russia, a tradition has developed to wear the family symbol on the right hand. This is prescribed by the Orthodox religion. Orthodoxy considers its confession to be "right, reasonable", and therefore the right side is dominant, embodying truth and purity. The marital ring, flaunting on the right hand, means a respectful and respectful attitude towards legal marriage.

After marriage, men rarely wore rings., considering that they are necessary only during the ceremony, and in everyday life it is not necessary to demonstrate the status of a family person. In addition, there were fears that the main wedding accessory can be accidentally damaged or lost when carrying out any work, which in itself was considered a bad sign.

The revision of attitudes was influenced by wars. Going to defend the Fatherland, men recalled that wedding rings serve as a talisman, and began to wear them as a talisman. The thought that their wife and children were waiting for them at home gave the soldiers courage and strengthened their faith in victory. At the end of the wars, many men preferred to continue wearing the ring, believing in its protective power, as well as as a sign of gratitude to their wife, who kept the warmth of the hearth.

Today jewelry stores offer wide range of rings for men... They look very aesthetically pleasing and stylish on a man's hand.

Men unencumbered by marriage often give preference to brutal signets or large rings with inserts of natural stones - agate, obsidian, onyx or opal. These rings are worn on the ring or middle finger of the left hand.

Recently, paired rings have become very popular, which are made in the same style for a guy and a girl... They are a kind of confirmation of the seriousness of the relationship, and it is assumed that after a while they will acquire official status.

Married men traditionally wear "Wedding bands" on the ring finger of the right hand. Most often, they prefer the classic options. Although on sale you can find unusual and spectacular models that not only emphasize family status, but also add style to the image.

When divorcing spouses, the wedding ring should be changed to ring finger of the other hand... But often divorced men in our country, in general, cease to wear this attribute.

In the event of the death of a spouse, Russian men put a ring on ring finger of the left hand. This is a kind of expression of grief for his deceased wife and evidence of a change in his marital status. Usually widowers continue to wear the "engagement" only during the period of mourning, then they prefer not to wear it anymore, believing that the absence of an attribute on a finger in itself means that he has no wife.

According to established customs, putting on a wedding ring on the finger of one or another hand depends on the main religion of the country. Catholics put the accessory on the ring finger of the left hand. These include the indigenous people of the following countries - Austria, Australia, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, Cuba and France.

In countries where Orthodoxy is professed, the ring adorns the ring finger of the right hand. In addition to Russia, these include the neighboring countries - Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. The same tradition is followed in Greece, Poland, Montenegro and Serbia.

In Armenia, despite Orthodoxy, it is customary to wear a ring on the left hand after the wedding. Historians cannot understand the main reason for this tradition and are inclined to believe that Armenians are a strong and distinctive nation that adheres to their own specific culture, regardless of religion. The Armenians themselves explain this by the fact that the wedding jewelry worn on the left hand is on the same side with the heart, and therefore contributes to the preservation of ardent feelings.

In Muslim states - Egypt, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan - it is customary to wear "wedding bands" on the left hand.

In America, there are no strict customs regarding wedding rings - they are worn on any hand. It depends on belonging to a particular denomination or residence in a particular state.Representatives of a wide variety of nationalities and religious beliefs meet in the United States. There are also situations when married couples wear rings on different hands.

Most often, men living in the eastern states - Alabama, Virginia, Georgia, Florida - put on a family attribute on the left hand. Inhabitants western part - Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico - to the right.

Jews, adherents Jewish religion, during the wedding ceremony, it is customary to ring only the bride - the groom puts the ring on her right index finger. But often newlyweds deviate from religious customs and acquire paired rings to seal the marriage union. In ordinary daily life, married Jewish women wear "wedding bands" on the ring finger of their left hand. According to religious canons, Jewish men should not wear a wedding ring all the time, but most modern men do as they please.

Nowadays, an engagement ring is not only a traditional wedding attribute, but also a stylish piece of jewelry. It looks great on both female and male hands. Whether or not to wear it after the wedding is a personal decision of each person. It is unlikely that it will affect the strength of the union, because the main components of a happy family life at all times are sincere love, respect of partners for each other and marital fidelity.

For information on how to choose wedding rings, see the next video.