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The Egyptians, around 2800 BC, already used a ring to symbolize the marriage bond. For them, a circle, having no beginning or end, represented the eternity for which the union was intended. About 2000 years later, the Greeks discovered magnetism, which also ended up influencing this symbology.
As they believed that the third finger of the left hand had a vein that led directly to the heart, they began to use a magnetized iron ring on it, so that the hearts of lovers would remain forever attracted to each other. The custom was adopted by the Romans and the Vatican maintained the tradition. The engagement ring was introduced in the year 860, by decree of Pope Nicholas I (858-867), who instituted it as a mandatory public statement of the bride and groom’s intention.
“The wedding ring passes from the right hand to the left hand to represent the approach of definitive commitment. On the left side, it is closer to the heart”, says Father Eduardo Coelho, from the archdiocese of São Paulo.
Read too:
– 18 oddities that happened at weddings
– Why is May the month of brides?
– What was sex like in the Middle Ages?
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