Types and Meaning Inherent in Christian Rings
Many of us wear rings to spruce up the look and add a beautiful accent to attire. Besides the power of beautification, jewelry has a semantic significance. With a certain symbol, shape, or image, we are able to express our worldviews, attitude toward life, and beliefs. If you wear a Christian ring, it tells everyone you meet on your way that you are a believer.
Someone may ask a provocative question “But how can a ring be Christian?” It’s simple. If a piece of jewelry carries religious symbolism or words of prayer and you wear it for religious reasons, it becomes Christian jewelry. What are those ‘religious’ reasons? Well, it can be a testimony of your faith, aspiration to seek god, the desire to remember the words of prayer, or the commandments of God.
Types of Christian Rings
If you’re looking for a gold or silver Christian ring, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Let’s take a look at the most common of them:
1. Rings featuring prayers engraved inside the band. Only the owner of the ring can see this prayer. Religion is a sacred thing, and it has an internal vector. A piece of jewelry with the same ‘vector’ matches the essence of spirituality. Besides, they say that the power of prayer increases tenfold when it is in direct contact with the one who prays. So, not only does it touch the soul but also the body.
2. Signet rings featuring icons or symbols. This type of ring is the exact opposite of the previous category. Instead of keeping religious symbolism under wraps, these ornaments show it off. Normally, signets are designed for men; therefore, they are rather large, heavy, and eye-catching. When putting one of such rings on, remember the following: keep your hands clean and do only good deeds with them. To wear a religious signet means to take on great responsibility.
3. Women’s rings embellished with gemstones. The text of prayer or religious motif can be hidden inside or vice versa, constitute part of a pattern. Gems incorporated in Christian jewelry have their own meanings. According to Christian tradition, jasper signifies atonement for sins, sapphire is a stone of the soul, chalcedony denotes the search for truth, emerald is for kindness, sardonyx shows the power of spiritual life, sardonyx showcases the willingness to give your blood for church, chrysolite signifies divine beauty, topaz is a symbol of honesty, hyacinth is a stone of royal dignity, and amethyst stands for perfection.
4. Bands showcasing the text of a prayer. This type of Christian ring is often used in rituals including wedding ceremonies. They may be made of any metal, precious or basic, as well as wood, ceramic, stone, etc.
5. Wedding rings. The tradition of giving a ring to your partner came from Byzantium. The difference between the previous category and this one is in a larger size of the ring and lush ornamentation. Also, instead of a prayer, these rings may feature religious symbolism.
Gold or Silver?
The meaning of gold in Christianity is an ‘absolute metaphor of light’. Not only Christians but also ancient Greeks and Slavs considered gold to be a ‘fire shining in the night.’ In turn, the light in Christianity is a symbol of the divine. According to the Bible, God himself is light. So jewelry crafted in gold is a direct signifier of god.
The image of light as a spiritual symbol has several meanings. On the one hand, its clarity reveals the essence of being. On the other hand, light is the brilliance of God’s glory that drives evil away and enlightens those who have faith.
Along with light, gold has always been associated with the sun. This symbolism was inherent in many pre-Christian cultures. The sun, in turn, reveals the idea of a sacred king. Therefore, it is a royal symbol. Gold items are an attribute and signifier of royal dignity.
While gold is the sun, silver is the moon. Its main meaning is moral purity, holiness, and chastity. This significance is prompted by such qualities of silver as whiteness and the ability to battle corruption and decay. Because of ‘magical properties’ inherent in silver, it has been being praised for driving evil away since time immemorial.
While being symbols of chastity as well as spiritual and bodily integrity, gold and silver are somewhat different from each other in their meanings. Whereas gold is an absolute and divine symbol, silver reflects human nature. Therefore, silver is ideal for crafting individual shrines such as crosses, icons, religious jewelry, etc. In contact with impurity, illness, and, in the spiritual meaning, with a sin, silver tends to tarnish as if symbolizing the fallen Adam. Therefore, silver body ornaments, in addition to spiritual aid, signal that your body requires healing.
