Everything You Need To Know About Christian Rings

The main attribute of a person who believes in God is a cross or one crucifix . Along with this, Christians often wear other types of jewelry with a religious theme: christian rings , pendants with icons , medallions , etc. Believers use jewelry as amulets for protect yourself from harm and get the support of a higher power . Even in the 21st century, in the age of technology and science, spiritual people have continued to wear ecclesiastical rings . Believers believe that a ring with the engraving "Blessed and saved" or biblical motives will protect from evil spirits and the evil eye.

A LITTLE HISTORY

The most famous museum in Vatican has assembled a huge collection of ancient christian objects . The collection includes the first icons , censers , medallions and christian crosses of the III-IV centuries. The exhibition also features the very first rings. At the time of the beginning of the christianity , when religion began to spread across Europe, people did not carry crosses. They used Christian rings as symbols of faith .

There are several references to religious rings in the Bible. For example, Pharaoh gave Joseph his ring as a symbol of power. In the same way, Artaxerxes gave her ring to Haman to seal a royal decree. After his return, the prodigal son received a ring from his father as symbol of dignity. As you can see, the Christian rings mentioned in the Bible are religious signet rings which served as a symbol of dignity and authority.

Ancient Christians wore thin and simple religious rings without inscriptions, made of iron, bronze, gold or silver. They featured a round disc with engraved letters XP ( Chi Rho) . These are the first letters of the Greek word ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ( Christos ), which means Christ. These rings had deep meaning for people of faith. They denoted a man's reunion with God, oneness with him, and eternity.

In Europe, the tradition of wearing rings came with Christianity from Byzantium in the 2nd millennium BC. Much later people began to adorn the rings with prayer words . These jewels were not only symbols of faith, but also amulets against the evil spirits . The rings with prayers were widespread in the 19th century and you can still find them in our online store .

AN AMULET OR JEWELERY?

Many centuries ago, Christian rings were used as identification marks , through which people recognized their fellow believers. Later, believers began to engrave the words of prayers on their rings to give the properties of an amulet.

Not everyone has confidence in their heart when buying a ring with religious symbols. Many people buy them as elegant jewelry or as a gift. Some believers are shy to openly show their faith. Therefore, they choose jewelry with prayers engraved inside.

Even among priests, there is no consensus as to whether a ring is an amulet or a symbol of faith . That said, God's ministers stress that the primary purpose of catholic jewelry is to remind a person of faith and their belonging to Christ.

There are many stories about miraculous features of jewelry . People often notice that a ring suddenly changes color, turns black, suddenly breaks, or inexplicably gets lost. Church officials often attribute such cases to the fact that a ring keeps troubles away from its owner.

BISHOP RING

The most famous church rings are the bishop and papal rings . The former are given to the newly elected bishops, while the latter are given to the Pope.

A ring is given to a bishop during the induction ceremony . This ring is considered a symbol of the bishop's engagement with the church.

Bishops and popes adored their rings so much that they did not want to part with them even after death. This is why the wonderful collections of rings of Bishop were found in papal sarcophagi and preserved to this day. Many scholars believe that the clergy borrowed the tradition of wearing rings from ancient pagan priests who dedicated themselves to the service of Jupiter.

Ancient pagan symbols engraved on gemstones also bear witness to pagan influence. In many cases, jewelers have added an inscription to such an engraved gem. to give a pagan symbol a new Christian meaning . Sometimes, however, the gems were not supplemented with any text because a gem was simply seen as an ornamentation that had no specific purpose.

In the Middle Ages, bishops' rings have began to be decorated with amethysts, which were recognized as the canonical gemstone of the Church. The bishops received amethyst rings without engraving as a symbol of the purity and integrity of the faith.

THE FISHERMAN'S RING

One of the symbols of the popes is the papal ring which is also called the fisherman's ring or the swimming pool ring . Each pope who takes office wears this jewel on the ring finger of his right hand. The first Pope, Saint-Pierre, was a fisherman by profession. First he was a fish fisher, then he became a fisher of men. In honor of his profession before the consecration, all popes wear the fisherman's ring.

As a rule, the papal ring represents the apostle Peter in a boat casting nets in the Gennesaret lake . The design of the rings is created individually for each pope and his name is struck above the image of Peter. After the death of a pontiff, her ring is broken with a special silver hammer . This is done with the aim of officially declare the throne vacant . Due to the fact that this signet ring also fulfilled the function of a personal seal (popes sealed personal letters and some documents) it was destroyed to prevent false decrees in the name of the deceased pontiff. Today, the popes do not use their signet rings as a seal (for this purpose they have a modern stamp in red ink) but the tradition of breaking the papal ring has been preserved during the Vatican ceremony.

Most papal rings are made of gold. However, even this rule has exceptions. For example, the Pope Francis became one of the few pontiffs who rejected such luxury as a gold ring. He opted for a simple silver ring with gold plating. On top of that, instead of the traditional image of the apostle Peter in a boat casting nets, his seal depicts Peter with the keys, which are a symbol of papal authority.

POPULAR SYMBOLS IN CHRISTIAN RINGS

Unlike richly decorated jewelry for religious, Christian rings for believers remain more austere. This is because vanity and pride, which can be seen through lush jewelry, is a sin.

Christian rings are often decorated with crucifixes and cross . Other Christian symbols are also prevalent in the production of jewelry. It is interesting to note that some of these symbols originated in pagan cultures and were later redefined to conform to Christian beliefs.

So, the most popular symbols depicted on Christian rings are:

Angels. As messengers of God, angels are intermediaries between heaven and earth. These creatures are not subject to the earthly laws of time and space, and their bodies are not made of flesh and blood. Angels can be represented in different ways. For example, an angel with a fiery sword is a symbol of divine justice and anger. After banishing our ancestors from heaven after they fell into sin, God sent cherubim with a fiery sword to guard the road to the tree of life. A angel with a trumpet symbolizes the resurrection and the Last Judgment.

Archangels . They are the highest rank of angel. Archangel Michael, the messenger of God's judgment, is depicted as a warrior with a sword. The Archangel Gabriel , a messenger of God's mercy, carries the gospel and a lily in his other hand. The Archangel Raphael , healer and keeper of God, is represented as a pilgrim with a staff and a backpack. The Archangel Uriel , is the fire of God, his prophecy and his wisdom. He is drawn with a scroll or a book in his hands.

Grapes . In Christian art, the grape appears as a wine symbol Eucharistic and, consequently, of the blood of Christ. The vine is a generally accepted symbol of Christ and the Christian faith, based on the biblical metaphor. In particular, Christ says: "I am the real vine ..."

The Dove is the Christian symbol of Holy Spirit . The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity. Sacred Scripture teaches that the Holy Spirit as a person distinct from God the Father and God the Son.

Virgin Mary , Mother of God, Mother of Jesus Christ. She's there daughter of Joachim and wife of Anna and Joseph . It is the most respectful and complete image of Christianity. The Virgin Mary also has symbolic meaning - she personifies the church .

A star . The wise men went to the birthplace of Jesus when they saw a sign - a star in the east.

A ship is considered the symbol of the Church, which takes us safely to paradise through the sea of life. Therefore, the main part of a temple is called a nave - a ship. A cross on the pole symbolizes the message of Christ, which gives power to the church and guide it.

A cross . A cross symbolizes divergent concepts in different religious traditions. One of the most frequently encountered meanings is the meeting of our world with the spiritual world. For the Jewish people, the crucifixion was a shameful and cruel method of execution that caused overwhelming fear and horror. However, thanks to Christ, a cross has become a welcome trophy which commands joyful feelings.

A boat is another symbol of the church. The net of a boat symbolized the Christian dogma and fish are men converted to the Christian faith. Many of Jesus' disciples were fishermen before they became apostles. Jesus called them "Fishers of men", as if he was referring to their old profession. In addition, he compares the Kingdom of Heaven with a net thrown into the sea which catches fish of all kinds.

The moon and the sun . The moon symbolizes the Old Testament and the sun - the New Testament. As the moon receives its light from the sun, the Law ( Old Testament ) becomes comprehensible only when it is illuminated by the Gospel (New Testament). Sometimes the sun is represented as a star surrounded by tongues of flame while the moon is drawn as the face of a woman with a sickle . There are also explanations according to which the sun and the moon convey the two natures of Christ. Some scholars believe that the sun is a symbol of Christ and that the moon is the church.

Eye of the Lord . He is depicted as a symbol of the divine omniscience , all seeing and wisdom, inscribed in an equilateral triangle (the symbol of the Trinity). The All-Seeing Eye and the Divine Omniscient observe all people, whether we are working or serving Him, asleep or awake. He doesn't have an evil eye, he doesn't just see sin. For Christians, the all-seeing eye is one symbol of hope , not a threat.

The olive branch is a symbol of peace between God and men. It also denotes hope. A dove with an olive branch signifies the herald of peace.

An eagle stands rising in the sun is a symbol of the resurrection. This interpretation is based on the idea that an eagle, unlike other birds, flies near the sun. It dives into the water to renew its plumage and regain its youth. An eagle is the symbol of a soul that seeks God, as opposed to a serpent, which symbolizes the devil.

Fish is one of the oldest symbols of Jesus Christ. In Greek, "fish" sounds like "IXThYS". The letter "I" means "Jesus"; the letter "X" - Christ; "Th" is Theou, that is to say "God"; the letter "Y" is Yios, ie "Son", and the letter "S" is Soter, which means "Savior". Thus, the symbol of the fish translates into the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior.

A heart can often be seen in 15th century images. It often radiates flames (fiery heart), which symbolizes spiritual burning.

The clover clover symbolizes the trinity, union, balance and also destruction. It can be symbolically replaced by a large leaf. Christianity borrowed it as a symbol of the Trinity. It is also the emblem of Saint Patrick.

The rosary is a symbol of piety and service to the Church and to the people. The rosary is an extremely simple time model that is at the same time vast and impressive. The beads are connected by the same thread - it conveys a kind of continuum.

TYPES OF CROSSES ENGRAVED ON CHRISTIAN RINGS

XP (Chi Rho) is one of the earliest cruciform symbols of Christianity. It is formed by bringing together the first two letters of the Greek version of the word Christ. Although technically Chi Rho is not a cross, he is associated with the crucifixion of Christ and symbolizes his status as the son of the Lord. It is believed that Emperor Constantine was the first to use this symbol in IV AD.

On the eve of the Battle of Milvia Bridge in AD 312, the Lord appealed to Constantine and ordered that the image of Chi Rho be painted on the shields of the soldiers. After Constantine's victory in battle, Chi Rho became the official emblem of the empire. Archaeologists have found evidence that Chi Rho was depicted on the helmet and shield of Constantine and his soldiers.

Latin cross , also known as the Protestant Cross and the Western Cross. The Latin cross (crux ordinaria) serves as a symbol of Christianity, despite the fact that it was the symbol of the pagans long before the founding of the Christian church. His images are found on Scandinavian Bronze Age sculptures that portray Thor, the god of war and thunder. The cross is considered a magical symbol. It brings good luck and repels evil. Some scholars interpret the cross as a symbol of the sun or a symbol of the Earth, whose arms point to north, south, east, and west. Others emphasize its similarity with the human figure.

Tau-cross looks like the Greek letter "T" (tau). It is the key to supreme power. In biblical times, it acted as a symbol of protection. It is also known as the cross of Saint Anthony (the founder of Christian monasticism, 4th century). Since the beginning of the 13th century, it has become the emblem of Francis of Assisi. In heraldry, it is called the almighty cross. The tau cross symbolizes the abolition of old Adam's disobedience and the transformation of Christ into our Savior, the new Adam.

Greek cross . Unlike the traditional Latin cross, the arms of the Greek cross are the same length. The Greek cross is historically considered to be the oldest. It is also known as the square cross or the cross of St. George. This cross shape was traditional for Byzantium, which is why it is called Greek.

Cross of Jerusalem . Otherwise known as the Cross of the Crusaders, it consists of five Greek crosses which denote the five wounds of Christ. According to other versions, it symbolizes 4 gospels and 4 corners of the world (4 small crosses) and Christ himself (the big cross).

The baptismal cross . It consists of a Greek cross combined with a Greek letter "X", the initial letter of the word Christ. This cross signifies rebirth and, therefore, it is associated with the rite of baptism.

The cross of Saint Peter . When Peter was condemned to martyrdom, he asked to be crucified upside down out of respect for Christ. Thus, the inverted Latin cross is attributed to Peter. In addition, it serves as a symbol of the papacy. Unfortunately, this cross is also used by Satanists, whose aim is to reverse Christian beliefs, including the Latin cross.

HOW TO CHOOSE AND WEAR CHRISTIAN RINGS

You have to wear Christian rings in a certain way, following strict rules. Otherwise, they will not be able to guard against the bad guys and bad luck. First and foremost, you must keep faith in God and live a righteous life.

It is best to buy Christian rings from church stores. There they are sanctified with holy water and special prayers. It is believed that only consecrated objects have protective properties. However, that doesn't mean you can't buy rings elsewhere. Our online store offers a large selection of Christian and bishops rings with religious motifs and symbols. You can consecrate this jewelry in a church and it will have the same property as rings purchased in a church store.

As for metals, the best choice for Christian rings is silver. If you don't want jewelry to interfere with your energy, then you shouldn't wear products made of dissimilar metals.

You must treat holy things with respect. Don't scatter them. Try to keep the rings close to you at all times. Be very careful and do not lose them because the loss of a consecrated ring can mean the loss of divine grace.

CATHOLIC RINGS FOR MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN

There is a wide range of Christian rings available in the market. Most of the items are universal, which means they are suitable for everyone, regardless of gender and age. You just need to choose the right size.

Christian rings designed specifically for men often feature a prayer to Jesus. Popular images carved or embossed on rings for men are Saint Nicholas of Myra , the archangel Michael and the archangel Gabriel. These rings and signet rings look very solid and majestic.

Christian jewelry for women has more subtle and refined designs. These rings are often covered with enamel and decorated with floral ornaments or precious stones or precious stones. The most common motifs are images of Madonna and other holy women.

Christian rings for children are no different from articles for adults. They have the same meaning. However, they rarely feature gemstones and their designs are rather simplistic.

GOLD AND SILVER IN CHRISTIAN JEWELERY

The most common metal for Catholic rings and jewelry is silver. It symbolizes purity, innocence and chastity. Remember that silver jewelry often oxidizes. As a result, your rings can tarnish over time. You should not attach a negative meaning to the color change. It is a natural process. You can quickly remove an oxide film from the surface with a soft cloth, chalk and baking soda.

Christian gold rings were rare among early Christians. This is because the expensive and abundant jewelry does not match the teachings of the early church. Today the church does not ban gold items, but as a righteous Christian. Christian gold rings symbolize the divine glory of Christ. These jewels are worn mainly by men and clergymen. Unlike silver, gold rings do not tarnish.