Wedding rings are a symbol of the eternal love of spouses, which continues even after the death of the other half, and therefore many widows leave this important decoration on themselves in memory of their loved one. But the question arises, how to wear such a jewel now? A huge number of canons, traditions and superstitions prescribe various, often contradictory options, so understanding them is not so easy.
How to wear it for widowers?
If a widow, according to the most widespread tradition both in Orthodoxy and in secular etiquette, wore a wedding ring on the ring finger of her right hand, then there are six main options for what to do:
- Transferring your own wedding ring to your left hand is the most common solution, clearly understood by people with a wide variety of cultural backgrounds;
- Take off your jewelry and put the deceased’s ring on the left one;
- Leave your ring on your right hand, and put the deceased’s jewelry on your left hand;
- Transfer both rings to your left hand;
- Keep your own jewelry on the right, and wear your husband’s jewelry on a chain around your neck;
- Leave the deceased’s ring on it, and put your own in the coffin.
Advice! Sometimes it makes sense to even give the ring as charity to the church, asking them to pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
Each of these decisions is acceptable, and a woman's choice depends on many factors. For some, it seems more appropriate to preserve the memory of the deceased without displaying it, and in this case, the decoration can be left at home - in the red corner near the icons or in a jewelry box.
If the widow decides to keep the jewelry and continue to wear it, then, in addition to the symbolic level, the decision will also be influenced by the physical factor. Men's rings are usually much larger and may not fit even the largest middle or thumb fingers.
Sometimes the size of the jewelry can be reduced, but not always, especially if the jewelry has engraving or inlay. In this case, various options are acceptable - with a chain or with transfer to another finger.
How is it customary to wear jewelry received for engagement?
According to the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Romans, the vein of love runs through the ring finger and should be ringed when getting married. According to tradition, the groom at the engagement puts his chosen one on the finger on which he will later wear the engagement ring.
The bride does not take off her engagement ring until the wedding, demonstrating to other members of the opposite sex that she is no longer free. Then they deal with it as follows:
- According to one of the signs, wearing an engagement ring after a wedding will lead to widowhood. It is taken off before the wedding and never worn again, but in the future it is given to children.
- They change the jewelry given at the engagement to the ring finger of the other hand. Thus, both veins of love are ringed in the girl.
- The decoration is not removed, but during the wedding ceremony, the engagement ring is placed on the same finger.
- The girl takes off the ring on her wedding day and then puts it on the same finger, but after the symbol of marriage.
The most common fourth option for wearing complex jewelry. After all, the wedding ring is located closer to the heart. Some women, when widowed, continue to wear both rings.
Signs and traditions
Wedding rings, including widow's rings, are surrounded by a huge number of different superstitions.
Popular wisdom does not recommend wearing the jewelry of dead people, as it is believed that precious metals absorb energy. That is, both illness and accident seem to be imprinted on the ring and inevitably affect the new owner, worsening his health and well-being.
For the same reason, in no case should such rings be inherited by children and other younger relatives, since the new couple may repeat the tragic fate of the previous one.
But with rings belonging to spouses who happily celebrated their silver or even golden anniversary, everything is not so simple. Some signs consider such a gift to children to be a very good sign, protecting the new family from any problems. Others still do not recommend making such gifts, since children with a given ring will steal the happiness of their parents.
A ring that falls during a wedding or social ceremony is a sign of imminent separation and the possible death of the other half. To avoid a terrible fate, you should thread a regular thread through the jewelry for a while, and then burn it along with the accumulated negative energy.
How to relate to such beliefs, everyone decides for himself. On the one hand, wisdom preserved over the centuries often has some basis, on the other hand, the Orthodox Church does not have a very positive attitude towards any signs.
Can a widow wear a wedding ring?
You can wear the product, but you should do it as carefully as possible. It all depends on the character of the person, as well as his attitude towards the deceased. If a person sincerely believes that this item will protect him, then it will be so. But, if the widow is tormented by doubts and she is afraid of negative energy, then it is better to give the ring to the relatives of the deceased, or simply remove it from sight.
Most often, people simply put away the product as a keepsake, but at the same time that it does not remind of the tragedy. Psychics, in turn, believe that in no case should you wear the product after death - because of this, the soul of the deceased may gravitate back to his family, which can cause him to get lost.
However, the church, on the contrary, disputes this version, saying that it is still possible to wear the product. A widow is even allowed to wear the ring of the deceased, since there is the strongest connection between lovers.
What do the two rings on your left hand mean?
Such a position of jewelry really quite often means widowhood, but you should not give an unambiguous interpretation if you don’t know the person well:
- Very often girls wear an engagement ring on their left hand along with a wedding ring on their right;
- This may also mean that the spouses are Catholics or even atheists.
Important! Sometimes, due to injury, wearing any jewelry on the right hand becomes uncomfortable or simply impossible, and in this case the left remains the only alternative.
On which finger does a widow wear a ring - social norms and release rules
Is it possible to bury a deceased person with a wedding ring? If the second spouse is alive, burying the deceased with a wedding ring on will be wrong.
This is done if the deceased was a widow/widower. In this case, he completes his earthly journey and does not leave his married spouse here. The opinion of ordinary people It is very difficult to admit that a loved one is no longer around.
After keeping the ring, the widow or widower wears it as a sign of eternal love. After the death of a spouse, it is customary to change the hand to wear this symbol. Widows wear it on the ring finger of their left hand along with their husband's ring or wear it as a pendant on a chain.
View of religion
World religions have different attitudes towards wedding rings in general, and widow's rings in particular.
In Orthodoxy, wedding jewelry is worn on the right hand, which is used to make the sign of the cross and behind which, according to legend, there is a guardian angel. After the death of a spouse, one’s ring is moved to the left hand, and the second one is left with the deceased. A more preferable option is to donate your jewelry to a parish. Orthodox Christians can leave a treasure from their deceased home next to the icons in the red corner.
Catholics wear their wedding band on their left hand, and after widowhood they change it to their right hand or take it off altogether.
In Judaism, only women wear a wedding ring as a sign of belonging to their spouse. In the event of the death of the other half, the widow simply removes the jewelry , and then can either keep it in the house or give it to charity.
In Islam, there is basically no tradition of exchanging wedding rings. Men are prohibited from wearing gold, and even silver jewelry must be extremely small and discreet. But as a wedding gift for the bride, various jewelry, rings, and earrings are often presented. There is no need to change the position of the jewelry after the death of the husband.
Buddhists sometimes exchange rings to unite the energies and destinies of spouses, but this is not a mandatory wedding tradition. After widowhood, it is better to donate the jewelry to charity so as not to create a connection, preventing the deceased from incarnating in a new life.
What to do with an engagement ring from a bad marriage
As we have already said, there are wedding rings that are simply a pity to give to someone. But the widow doesn’t want to wear it either. In this case, there are a couple of options to solve the problem.
- If the ring is so massive that a woman simply finds it uncomfortable to wear, even if the size is reduced, it can always be melted down. A completely different ring can be cast from it, which will fit more comfortably on a woman’s finger.
- The deceased husband's engagement ring can be a family asset. Such a ring is worth preserving for posterity, and the best way to do this is by storing it in a box.
It happens that a woman would be glad to give the ring of her deceased husband to her grown son. However, he is afraid to bring his husband’s problems to his fate. In such a situation, the usual ritual of purification in the church will do. How to do this, you can consult a priest.
Recommendations from psychologists
The main advice of psychologists is that the decision made by the widow or widower be comfortable for them.
If it is painful for a woman or a man to come across constant reminders of the lost and ended happiness together, then it is better not to leave such a significant thing on your hand, so as not to reopen the wound.
If, on the contrary, the presence of a ring creates a feeling of security and that a loved one is looking after your other half from the other world, then the jewelry should be left.
Advice! For religious widows, it is recommended to ask for advice from a confessor, since the support of significant people at such a difficult moment is incredibly important.
Buddhists
There is also no place for rings in the Buddhist ritual - during the ritual, five Buddhist monks read mantras around the bride and groom and fumigate the couple with incense. But according to Buddhist ideas about the vital energy of the human body, the ring finger is responsible for the husband or wife, which means that a married person can wear a ring with ritual inscriptions on it, that is, a husband and wife can exchange memorial rings.
But more often they do this according to secular laws in the registry office. The decision to wear or not wear a ring after the death of a spouse remains with the widowed person. However, various beliefs, of which Buddhists have many, often interfere with his decision. For example, by continuing to wear a ring, a person connects himself with the deceased.
The meaning of rings on the fingers of women and men
Since time immemorial, people have known about the strong energy of these jewelry, their ability to influence the thoughts and actions of the owner. The most mysterious, enigmatic legends are associated with these products. Modern experts associate the amazing properties of the rings with the effect on active points, of which there are incredibly many on the hands. Esotericism has its own set of laws for the interaction of jewelry with the owner and the surrounding world. Be that as it may, it is worth finding out the meaning of rings on your fingers in order to fully use all the capabilities of these products.
Thumb
It is not common for people to wear rings on their thumbs, as this creates certain inconveniences. Meanwhile, some men should pay attention to this way of wearing jewelry. It will help to positively correct behavior, reduce the risk of communication problems, and increase the chances of success.
Palmists claim that the powerful energy of Mars circulates in the thumb. If it is highly developed, this indicates excessive stubbornness, ambition, temper, and aggression. Wearing a ring allows you to calm your violent temper a little and will help control outbursts of anger. Men who lack willpower and logic can also use the help of the ring. Decoration on the thumb activates these qualities.
For women, esotericism recommends wearing the product in this way only in one case. The ring on the lady's thumb says that she is mourning the loss of a great feeling. Decoration with a stone will provide increased attention from men, but these will be psychologically unbalanced partners who are prone to suicide.
Pointing
There are people who like to wear such jewelry on their index finger. You should be careful about this addiction. If the interlocutor knows the meaning of the rings on his fingers, he will immediately determine that in front of him is a proud and vain person, prone to hysterics, who values personal interests above all else.
Jupiter rules this finger in palmistry. It gives a person willpower, wisdom, and intelligence. A shy, modest person needs to use the ring as a stimulant. Decoration on the index finger helps increase self-esteem, gives confidence, courage, and helps develop talents. But you need to carefully choose a ring with a stone. If you make a mistake, the product will make the owner a frivolous, irresponsible person.
The best option for a ring on the index finger are stones in shades of blue. It can be lapis lazuli, sapphire, turquoise, etc. Women are recommended to wear jewelry on their left hand. The preferred metal is tin; in extreme cases, you can choose a gold ring. Jupiter does not like silver; it has no place on the index finger.
Middle finger
The lord of fate Saturn is the lord of the middle finger. People who prefer to wear a ring on it are extraordinary people with strong charisma, independent people who are confident in their irresistibility and correctness.
If you want to ensure harmony and balance in your life, or are not sure which finger to wear the ring on, use this option. A decoration placed in the center will provide the desired effect. The product on the middle finger will help you make optimal decisions in difficult situations and will impart prudence and worldly wisdom. It activates the ability to teach others, public speaking, and the development of various talents.
It is worth putting a ring on your middle finger and, if necessary, getting out of a streak of failures and disappointments. Decoration will help in business development and in conducting public affairs. Silver rings with moonstone, obsidian, and amethyst can be excellent options. If you need to have a successful business meeting, you can wear a ring with a purple or black stone. But you can’t wear such products all the time. It is not recommended to put on the middle finger a product that was previously on the ring finger, but has become too large. It's better to redo it in a workshop.
Saturn does not respect gold. In addition to silver jewelry, you can wear rings made of alloys with lead, iron, etc. on this finger.
Nameless
The most popular place for rings to be placed is the ring finger. First of all, this is due to the convenience that such wearing provides. This finger usually takes little part in active actions; the decoration does not create interference. In most countries of the world it is worn as a wedding ring.
Its ruler is the Sun, which can bestow many wonderful qualities. Romantics and dreamers, creative people with creative thinking, especially like to wear a ring on the ring finger. Mood swings are typical for such individuals, but this is not an obstacle to receiving pleasant emotions.
An important point is the size of the ring. If it is inconspicuous, the owner is a balanced, harmonious, and self-confident person. Large jewelry can indicate a violent temper, a tendency to hysterics and depression.
It is not recommended for girls to wear a ring on this finger. Decoration can interfere with personal happiness; frequent breakups and celibacy are possible.
You should not give someone a ring from your ring finger to try on. This allows other people to interfere in fate and relationships. It is not advisable to wear a wedding ring on the other finger.
Gold jewelry is great for the ring finger. There are no special restrictions on the type and color of stones. Unmarried ladies do not need to wear silver. It drowns out the energy and will not allow it to have the proper impact on the chosen one.
Little finger
Mercury, which rules the little finger, helps to establish connections and contacts, gives oratory abilities, and favors artists, writers, and doctors. You can wear a ring made of any metal on this finger. But when choosing a product with stone, it is advisable to give preference to green and yellow minerals.
The esoteric meanings of finger rings indicate that adventurers like to wear jewelry on their little fingers. These people love to be the center of attention; they are characterized by a love of flirting and coquetry. Their magnetism is very powerful, they are prone to risk, intrigue, and gambling.
Esoterics recommends putting a ring on your little finger if natural modesty does not allow you to demonstrate your talent for eloquence, there is a fear of speaking in public, or excessive embarrassment that does not allow you to meet people. If a girl uses jewelry in the form of a snake and wears it on her little finger, this means that she is not yet ready for a serious relationship, her heart is free. It must be remembered that wearing such a product for a long time is not recommended; marriage can only remain in dreams.
