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Question

Dear Father,

I wanted to ask you about the meaning of the ring that I see  not only on spouses, but also on priests and nuns.

Why do spouses put it on the left ring finger while others wear it on any finger?

I wear a Rosary on my left ring finger.

Best regards

Answer from the priest

Dear friend,

1. Rings are a symbol of fidelity and are like a chain with which the couple indissolubly binds.

2. The old marriage Ritual prescribed that the delivery of the ring was carried out by the groom who put it on the left ring finger of the bride.

The left side because of tradition and according to the common feeling is the part of the heart.

The groom puts it on by himself.

3. In the current Ritual it is simply said to put the ring on the ring finger (without specification) of the groom and bride.

It is the spouses who hand it over to each other by saying the following words: “N., receive this ring, a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.

Then the bride, putting the ring on the groom’s ring finger, says: “N., receive this ring, a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.

4. Bishops usually wear it as a symbol of their marriage to the Church. A text by St. Optato di Milevi says: “So that he may be known as the spouse of the Church” (Ut se sponsum Ecclesiae cognoscat).

According to Gregory IV (9th century), the bishops’ ring had to be worn on the right hand.

And similarly, the abbots, abbesses and nuns who wear it by prescription of their Rule also place it on the right, like the Bishops.

5. The Sisters of some congregations, especially the Dominicans, as a rule wear the ring as a symbol of their marriage to Christ.

They do this by remembering the gold ring that Our Lord gave to Saint Catherine of Siena, their sister.

6. Today some priests, some nuns and even some lay people wear it out of personal devotion on the right or on the left.

There is no norm. Everyone is free to do as he pleases.

Some carry a real one. Others wear a ring-shaped Rosary to have the convenience of calculating the Hail Marys or even the protection of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

I wish you all the best, I remind you to the Lord and I bless you.

Father Angelo

Translated by Rossella Silvestri

Translated by Rossella Silvestri