In Ukraine, wedding rings are traditionally worn on the ring finger of the right hand. This tradition has deep historical and cultural roots.

The custom of wearing a wedding ring on the right hand dates back to Ancient Rome. In the 9th century AD, the Orthodox Church officially approved the exchange of wedding rings among Christians. Following the Church’s decree, Orthodox Christians began wearing the wedding ring on the ring finger of the right hand.

In the Ukrainian language, words such as правий (right), право (law), правда (truth), праведний (righteous), правило (rule), правильний (correct), and правити (to govern) are either related or etymologically close. The right hand is associated with virtues and blessings. It is believed that sacred actions, including the sign of the cross, are performed with the right hand. Jesus Christ blessed His disciples with His right hand, emphasising its special significance. This symbolism is also connected to the Orthodox tradition of crossing oneself from right to left. In Christian tradition, the right side is associated with goodness and righteousness, while the left side is linked to temptations and evil forces. That is why, when making the sign of the cross, Orthodox Christians first touch their forehead, then their chest, then the right shoulder, and finally the left shoulder.

There is also a belief that our ancestors associated each finger with a family member: the thumb represented parents, the index finger symbolized siblings, the middle finger stood for the individual, the ring finger was associated with a spouse, and the little finger represented children. This is just a hypothesis, but it aligns with an interesting observation: if you place your palms together and bend the middle fingers so that their middle phalanges touch, you can easily separate all fingers except the ring fingers. This phenomenon can be seen as a symbol of the strong bond between spouses. Perhaps this is why our distant ancestors chose the ring finger for wearing the wedding ring.

Thus, the traditions of wearing the wedding ring on the right hand and crossing oneself from right to left among Ukrainians reflect a combination of religious beliefs, historical customs, and cultural characteristics. These practices emphasize the importance of the right side, particularly the right hand, as a symbol of blessing and virtue.