Wedding
Ring History
The
custom of exchanging rings on the wedding day during the marriage
ceremony originates from ancient history. As far back as the 13th century BC the
Egyptians were already exchanging rings.
In
antiquity, when life expectancy was much lower than today, husbands
celebrated a ritual to ensure that the spirits of their wives would not
leave them too soon. The husband tied the ankles and the wrists of his
wife with cords of grass in the belief that these fastenings would
maintain her spirit inside her.
At the
time of the Roman empire the ring was made of iron; those of gold only
could be used by senators and magistrates. Then, the custom expanded to
other socioeconomic classes.
Wedding
rings began to be used in the 5th century. Although their cost was very
high for many people, it was at this time that the Church accepted them
as part of the wedding ceremony.
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The
Tradition of the Engagement Ring
In
the Bible, even as early as in the Old Testament, we see that one would
ask for the hand of the fiancee with a ring. This tradition has come
down
through the ages to the present day. In the 9th century, Pope Nicholas
I, decreed that the act of giving the ring to the fiancee is now an
official declaration of the intention to marry.
The Gold and Diamond Ring
The fiance gives the
engagement ring
to the fiancee to symbolize his love without end, by its circular form.
Although rings can be made of many materials, most often the engagement
ring is made of gold and diamonds, which means that the love will be as
strong and pure as those materials.
Today, it is customary that
the ring that the fiancee receives must go on left hand.
The third finger of the
left hand (located between the little finger - or pinkie - and your
middle finger), is used as the ring finger. The use of this finger to
place the ring is based on the old belief, originating in Angient
Greece, that the vein of that finger communicates directly with the
heart.
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Marriage Proposal Customs and
Superstitions
In the past, when the marriage
proposal was a more formal procedure, the future husband would send his
friends or members of his family as his representatives so that they
would become acquainted with the future bride and her family.
If the friends or family of
the they future bride or groom saw a blind man, a one-armed person, or
a pregnant woman during their stay, it was believed that the marriage
could be predestined to failure. However, wolves, pigeons or goats were
good signs.
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