A question of culture.

[cppd508]

Hey everyone.  I have a question about the culture in Ukraine.  My question started when I received some photos from a girl I am corresponding with.  I noticed in one of the photos, that she was wearing a ring on her left ring finger.  I was a little confused because she says she is single and has never been married.  She also says she is Orthodox.  I remember learning a while ago that in some Orthodox places, a wedding ring is normally worn on the right hand, as opposed to the left.  I'm curious if anyone is aware what the customary practice is in Ukraine.  Also, if it is customary for it to be the right, I am curious how some of the married couples addressed this after their wife moved to the west.   

[point]

Hey everyone.  I have a question about the culture in Ukraine.  My question started when I received some photos from a girl I am corresponding with.  I noticed in one of the photos, that she was wearing a ring on her left ring finger. 


Hello. The ring on her left hand could be just decoration. In Ukraine,  as in Russia, is wearing on the right hand.

[boaterguy]

I have heard that wearing a wedding ring on the left hand signifies the lady is divorced. Anyone else hear this?

[Shadow]

In which resolution was the picture so that you could determine it was a wedding ring ?

[Misha]

I remember learning a while ago that in some Orthodox places, a wedding ring is normally worn on the right hand, as opposed to the left.

Yes, that is true.

I'm curious if anyone is aware what the customary practice is in Ukraine.  Also, if it is customary for it to be the right, I am curious how some of the married couples addressed this after their wife moved to the west.   

We simply switched hand. Then, to celebrate our three years together, we bought new rings and had them blessed at our local church. Now, we wear the new rings on the left hand and the original rings on our right hand.

[cppd508]

Its a pretty clear photo.  The ring looks kind of plain, more like just a band, either silver or white gold.  I'm assuming that because its such a clear picture, that she had to know that it would be very visible, as her hand is holding something close to her face, which is the focus of the shot.  I was just checking to see what some people experienced with the culture thought.  I guess the surest way to find out will be just to ask her about it.  I'd still be curious to hear how some of the married couples resolved the difference between the two cultures though.  If they stayed with the right hand, switched it to the left, or if they opted for even having rings on both hands.  Thanks Misha, sounds like a good way to compromise, and honor both cultures. 

[kievstar]

I wear my ring on the right as since I am the man makes no difference to me.  Plus here in the USA if you wear it on the right women do not think your married - think your a widower.  I let my wife know this as well.  She could care less which hand but since she moved from her country the least I can do is try to adapt some of her country's culture.

I can not switch my ring between hands as my fingers are a different size do to 20 years of mixed martial arts. 

I have met many women in Ukraine who like to have fancy rings on left and/or right hand and are not married.  More for decoration.

[ECOCKS]

My wife wore her engagement ring on her left hand. She rarely wore either her engagement ring or wedding band in Ukraine though. Same here. She worries about losing them or tearng them up by catching them on something. When she wears them here (US) she wears on the left hand though.

Yes, UW women often wear their wedding rings on their left hand after divorce.

[Gylden]

Checking with people on the forum before asking her was a good thing, because she might have never heard that in some countries it is worn on the left hand. She might take that sort of a question in the wrong way.

To answer your second question, it just happens that my wife and I live in one of those countries, which practice the custom of wearing the wedding ring on the right hand, so it was quite natural for her and I quite frankly don't care which hand, as the real prise was that she became my wife.

[cppd508]

Thanks for the posts.  It was really interesting hearing everyone's thoughts and experiences.