Question from a reader …
Dear Sister, I notice that religious nuns wear a ring just like a wedding band or wedding ring married couples wear. The wedding ring of my brother and my sis-in-law has an engraving of their names underneath the ring. What about religious nuns do they engrave something on the ring like Our Lord Jesus name or ICHTUS or JMJ or AMDG? (acronyms etc.)
What about the design of the ring … do they have one or they’re just plain? Thanks for answering. Adia
Good questions! First, the tradition of Christians wearing rings is an interesting one. The Catholic Encyclopedia article on rings notes that Christians, like their non-Christian counterparts, wore rings as a sign of their station, occasionally having them engraved with a religious symbol or bedecked with a jewel. The ring in some cases was used as a seal but it also was a symbol of “conjugal fidelity”. And so a bishop might receive a ring as an “episcopal ornament conferred in the rite of consecration … as emblematic of [his] betrothal … to his Church.” Other ecclesiastics might also receive the privilege of wearing a gold ring. In terms of nuns, the article notes that “nuns and consecrated virgins wore “plain rings … in memory of their betrothal to their heavenly Spouse”.
So this symbol of fidelity, of lifelong commitment unto death is a significant one for wearing the ring. The tradition of wearing rings in religious life continues. Each religious community of Catholic nuns and sisters, as well as monks and brothers, has its own customs around the ring — if they wear one, what material it is made from, whether it has an engraving, etc. The ring is normally given when the sister professes vows — for some communities (like mine) the ring is given at first profession; for others it is given at final profession of vows.
In my IHM Congregation, we wear a gold band that is engraved. On the outside of the ring, there is an engraving of two hearts that are pierced by a single sword. The two hearts represent the Immaculate Heart of Mary (our namesake) and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the inside is the Latin text, Ego te sponsabo, which means “I will wed thee”. What is particularly cool about my congregation (probably others too) is that we “recycle” our rings. I did not receive a new ring when I professed my vows; rather I received the worn ring of one of my IHM sisters that is “dwelling now in light”. I love this tradition because it binds me to the whole IHM “communion of saints”. I don’t know the name of the sister who wore this ring, but I can feel her warm presence and encouragement.
For sisters and nuns reading, what is your ring like and what does it symbolize for you and for your congregation? Also, for anyone, tell us about the important ring that you wear.
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Wonderful question! I just received my ring in August when I made final vows, so I am still delighting in this symbol of my perpetual commitment. Ours are gold and look very much like wedding bands. I belong to the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart and so our rings are engraved with Deus Meus et Omnia for My God and My All, which comes to us from St. Francis. We also “recycle” our rings, they are polished and shine like they’re new, but yes, some Sister wore it before I.
Do you wear yours on your left hand then, since in the U.S. wedding bands are worn on the left hand?
Yes, Annie. I wear mine on my left hand, ring finger.
Upon the occasion of solemn vows nuns in our contemplative Order receive a rather unusual ring bearing the image of clasped hands. At that time I did a good bit of research to determine its origins and wrote an article later published in “Review for Religious”, a journal concerned with religious life. The article can be found on my blog at this address: MonasticMusingsOSsR.blogspot.com/search?q=%22I+Will+Espouse+you%22
or just go to the blog and use search function to will article “I Will Esposue You”. Incidently, the ring is customarily worn on the right hand becasue that is the hand for wedding rings in Europe. When I received the ring I put it on my left hand because that is where wedding rings go in out culture.
I received my ring a year ago September, also at perpetual/solemn profession. It is a gold band (yellow with a white gold center) and is engraved with the Greek, “My power is perfected in weakness,” (dunameis en asthenia teleitai) from 2 Cor 12:9. I chose this because it reflects the central truth of my life, that God reveals himself in weakness, whether my own, or his Son’s and I need never be concerned that my life is marked in this way. All things can glorify God, including weakness. In its own way it is the essence of the Gospel.
My ring wasn’t recycled since I am a hermit, but I love the idea of that. I too wear it on the left hand.
Our ring is unique to our Benedictine community. It is a silver band with an engraving of our bell banner, the community symbol. I really like that no other community has this ring. I received my ring at final profession and wear it on my left hand. Some of our rings are recycled.
What is your opinion on “purity rings”? I hear a lot of people are wearing them lately. If it’s a Phariseeish “I’m so holy” kind of thing, I don’t want to do that, none of this “pretentious Catholic” nonsense. I was thinking that it might be a good reminder for me (I’m in high school–you can draw the conclusion here) on a daily basis, particularly since I am in a not so “Catholic” high school…
What do you think, Sr Julie? (And others?)
As part of the Rite of Consecration To a Life of Virginity for Women Living In the World, consecrated virgins are all presented with a ring by the consecrating bishop, with the words:
“Receive the ring that marks you as a bride of Christ.
Keep unstained your fidelity to your Bridegroom,
that you may one day be admitted to the wedding feast of everlasting joy.”
The wearing of “wedding” rings by consecrated virgins is an ancient custom with an obvious spousal dimension, and I believe this is where the practice of women religious receiving profession rings originated historically.
We (Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill) wear a silver ring marked with three crosses that symbolize the three vows. Our sisters receive this ring during Perpetual Profession.
Our Constitutions say “As a sign of our vowed commitment, we wear a silver ring.” Our Directives say that a Sister receives her ring at first profession. Which means, I got my ring a month and 9 days ago!
Some Sisters recycle a ring from a deceased Sister – others get a new ring. There are no requirements other than that it be silver and simple. My ring has a peace dove engraved on the outside – I am a Sister of Peace, so this is a reminder to me of our Charism every time I look down at my left hand. We can choose to have a personal motto engraved inside the ring. My motto is “Live with an open heart.”
At Final Profession we get the Profession Cross of a deceased Sister.
It is a joy to write about why our Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity wear a ring! What a neat question! My ring is (and that of all of our sisters) is a simple gold band with the initials IHS and a small cross ingraved in it! The letters are Greek for the name of Jesus.
From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
A monogram of the name of Jesus Christ. From the third century the names of our Saviour are sometimes shortened, particularly in Christian inscriptions (IH and XP, for Jesus and Christus). In the next century the “sigla” (chi-rho) occurs not only as an abbreviation but also as a symbol. From the beginning, however, in Christian inscriptions the nomina sacra, or names of Jesus Christ, were shortened by contraction, thus IC and XC or IHS and XPS for Iesous Christos. These Greek monograms continued to be used in Latin during the Middle Ages.
At our Perpetual Profession each of our Sisters receives a gold ring on her left ring finger symbolizing being espoused to Christ forever; a red rose symbolizing the beauty and sorrows of this life with Jesus within the Community; and a San Damiano crucifix symbolizing being united to our Crucified and Risen Lord. Each symbol is quite profound and filled with lasting meaning.
Thank you so much asking!
Peace and all good,
Sister Mary Ann
smaryannsp@fscc-calledtobe.org
We receive a white-gold ring at final profession, which is worn on our left hand, ring finger. Since we are part of the Franciscan family, we use the same quote from St. Francis of Assisi that Gayle, OSF has in her ring: My God and My All (Language choice optional. Mine’s in Latin bc I didn’t like how it sounded in Italian, my classmate chose Spanish, another sister chose German. Orignially eveyone had the quote engraved in their ring in Polish bc that’s where my Congregation began.) In the old days the rings were made of steel which had to be polished every Saturday night. The sisters would thread a needle through a square of wool felt then rub their ring back and forth on the needle to remove the tarnish.
Our rings were new, but when a ring is lost, damaged or just doesn’t fit any longer, a sister can pick a ring that fits from the collection of rings our provincial has in storage. Same goes for profession crosses.
Speaking of crosses, ours are carved pine crucifixes. As a young sister I used to loved the crosses the older sisters wore. When we modified out garb, we started wearing smaller wooden crosses, and the were a little fragile. The older crosses were heavier, without spaces under Jesus’s knees or elbows. However, the sisters used to hang onto their cross so frequently that Jesus’ feet would get loved down to little nubs. I used to wonder how many burdens did the sister lay down at the feet of her cross? How many kisses did she plant at Jesus’ feet in adoring love or reparation? Imagine my joy when I received the cross of one of these olders sisters as a gift for my first profession! I wore it for teaching, bc I had less of a chance to knock off Jesus’ head on an old-style cross when bending over a student’s desk (and believe me, there is nothing more heart-wrenching than breaking your profession cross!!!)
Oh, I would love to know the name of the Sister whose ring I was wearing. It would be fun looking up info on her.
I’ve always been rather pleased that we don’t wear rings as Cistercians! In the monastic tradition it is the cowl – the robe with enormous sleeves that is worn in choir – that is the symbol of monastic consecration, and the fundamental symbolism is baptismal rather than spousal. I don’t have an absolute objection to rings – religious profession does involve commitments that are analogous to marriage – but I am uncomfortable with aspects of the theology of a specifically feminine religious identity that is identified with spousal imagery.
Thanks, Sisters, for sharing what your rings mean. And thank you Sister Macrina for sharing about other signs of consecration. The spousal imagery is an interesting one to deal with because for many of us, it does pose some interesting theological questions and might not “ring” true for all. For me it highlights the fact that the imagery of being a spouse to God — however compelling it has been in the ecclesial and popular imagination — is one image among many to speak of how we religious (and anyone for that matter) relate to God. For me, I’m content to not figure out all the traditional imagery around the ring — it is so rich with meaning to me because it is our IHM custom and because of its symbolism of lifelong commitment.
The solemn/perpetual hermit profession stresses both the spousal imagery (hence the ring) and the baptismal and monastic (hence the cowl). In receiving the cowl the hermit is reminded to be faithful to the minitry which she undertakers in the church’s name, namely prayer. My own personal experience of God is nuptial or spousal so the ring was most meaningful for me, but I was actually unprepared for the cowl. (Some dioceses require this or a similar garment, some do not. Since I am the first c 603 hermit in this diocese some decisions had not been made before.) Over time though it has come to mean as much as the ring mostly because it is such a strong link to monastic and desert Father/Mother roots. Both symbols of consecration are awesome in their own way, and both are so rich that I will be reflecting on them for the rest of my life probably. Sounds like that is a common experience for those sharing here.
I am not a nun, but I have made a vow to be celibate and to live in a christian community.
I have a white gold ring which my Dad bought for me when I took my vow.
I wear my ring on my wedding finger because it does remind me that I am “married” to Jesus. It also comes in handy sometimes to have a ring on that finger to let a bloke know you are “spoken for” and so unavailable!!!
When I first got my ring I badly scratched it by accident using an abrasive scourer so I was well upset about that. Now it is bent to the shape of my finger and covered in little sctraches. I am not sad about that, it speaks to me of all the trials and batterings I have gone through since making my vow (11 years ago now!), and how Jesus has been faithful to me all this time.
I go to a public high school, but last year when I got my class ring, I decided to be very different. I have the Blessed Virgin Mary on my class ring. It is really cool, though. If I ever lose my ring, all I have to ask people is, “Have you seen my class ring? It has the Blessed Mother on it.” My bishop said he never saw anything like it, and that is probably true. How many teenagers would have the BVM on their class ring, especially if they don’t attend a Catholic high school? Anyway, I know even when I am in college, I will be wearing this ring.
The other ring I wear is my Miraculous Medal ring, but that is not too out of the ordinary.
As Vocation Director for our Congregation, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, a lot of people ask me about wearing a ring and I love to tell them that the ring reminds me that I am forever encircled in God’s love, belonging totally and completely to Him. Our rings are silver with a small cross and the words “Dilectus meus mihi et ego Illi” (taken from the Song of Songs: “My Beloved is mine and I am my Beloved’s”). I love knowing that this symbol unites me not only with Christ but also with my Sisters in our international congregation as well as with all those amazing women who have gone before us in faith.
I am most blessed to be a consecrated virgin in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, TX. At the end of the Rite of Consecration, the local ordinary, who has just consecrated the woman to a life of virginity, slips her wedding band onto her finger as he says: “Receive the ring that marks you as a bride of Christ. Keep unstained your fidelity to your Bridegroom, that you may one day be admitted to the wedding feast of everlasting joy.” When Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza spoke these words to me as he gave me my ring on May 8, 2004, my heart exploded with joy! Each individual woman selects her own ring, and I chose a James Avery silver band encircled with a crown of thorns, which my sister and her husband so kindly bought for me. The inscription inside reads “My Beloved” along with my consecration date. My wedding band is a simple but beautiful reminder to me of my “solemn consecration as a bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God” and the fact that through it I am “given over entirely to the service of the Church and of all [my] brothers and sisters” (both quotes from the Rite of Consecration). Every morning upon rising I kiss my ring and also when I receive Holy Communion at daily Mass. Truly, I belong to my beloved and my beloved belongs to me! (Songs 7:10) Thanks be to God!
My wife found years ago we were told is a “Sisters Ring” from German Sisters. It’s a Solid Crucifix gold ring not marked but gorgeous enough she wears daily! Anyone know a bit more on these?
Tradin’ Bill
Some communities wear a crucifix ring for their profession ring, but anyone can wear one.
I watch EWTN daily and during Mother Angelica Rosary I notice one sister wearing a ring on each hand while others may not have any on.
So I was curious as why two rings being worn.
Thank you Frank Pascarella
A sinner but a great believer in Christ
Hi Frank, That’s a good question. I don’t know of any particular tradition that has a two-ring system. I have seen some sisters wear two rings (same finger or different) where the second ring is one of sentimental value, like the wedding ring of the sister’s deceased mom or the profession ring of a blood sister who was also a religious sister who died. Not sure why some sisters wouldn’t be wearing a ring unless they hadn’t yet gotten to the stage where a ring is given out.
Blessings, Frank.