Can believers wear jewelry?

Jewelry is an important detail of an image that can completely transform it. Orthodox jewelry, which has cultural and religious significance for Christians, is especially revered. They reflect the traditions, faith and history of the Orthodox Church and serve as a blessing and protection for their owner.

Differences and surviving traditions

The cross is the main attribute of the Orthodox faith and a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice for the salvation of people. Depending on the shape, each cross has its own symbolism;
icon – sacred images are not only a decorative item, but also a window to the spiritual world. The icons depict the Mother of God, Christ, saints and scenes of biblical events. Icons are an object of prayer and worship;
pendants with images of saints – they often contain the faces of saints, who are protectors and intercessors of believers. Orthodox pendants are a symbol of devotion and faith;
beads and bracelets with prayer beads are popular Orthodox jewelry for prayer practices, helping believers deepen their spiritual life;
rings with Orthodox symbols – most often depicting saints or a cross. They are a symbol of belonging to the Orthodox Church.

Since the cross is considered the main symbol of the Orthodox faith, most traditions of wearing jewelry are associated with it. Today it seems that Christians have always worn a cross, but this is not so.

The baptism of Rus’ took place in 988, but for another couple of centuries Russians especially revered reliquaries or encolpions – boxes with pieces of relics. Christians wore them over their clothes.

Over time, the arks began to make products in the form of a cross with a four-sided box, a monogram with the name of Jesus Christ and the cross itself. In pre-Petrine times, encolpions were part of the festive vestments of Russian tsars, although they were also worn by pilgrims, laymen, and monks. Orthodox jewelry was passed down from generation to generation and at one time was even a distinctive symbol of pilgrims.

In the 18th century, encolpions were completely replaced by solid metal crosses (silver and gold). Emperors and bishops wore pectoral crosses: they also represented the status of the order. Ordinary people could wear veils – crosses hidden under their clothes. An interesting fact: shirt collars are moved to the side precisely so that the pectoral cross does not fall out during work.

Orthodox Christians treasured crosses and exchanged them with each other as a sign of loyalty and friendship, becoming brothers. Crosses were often placed under the foundation when building a church, bridge or house. The most prized items were crosses cast from a broken church bell.

Believers never took off the cross and did not part with it even in the steam room. Silver or gold glowed and burned the skin, so people replaced the main cross with a bath cross – a wooden one.

The great popularity of crosses in Rus’ is due to the fact that they replaced pagan amulets and amulets. People believed that by removing the cross, they were left without protection. Wearing a vest was incompatible with sinful practices. Therefore, during fortune telling, Russian girls always removed the cross. But the sorcerers who had the courage to say goodbye to demonic forces repented and put on crosses again. The cross also had an identification value, since the Russian people often lived next to representatives of other faiths.

After the October Revolution, wearing a cross was dangerous from a political point of view, but it was only possible to completely displace the tradition by the middle of the 20th century. People were divided into two camps: some believed that without crosses they would be deprived of protection, while others were afraid of ridicule (young people were even embarrassed to wear a cross).

Crosses began to be worn openly only in the 80s. However, they became not only symbols of faith, but also fashionable jewelry. Sometimes you can see a cross in combination with jewelry belonging to other faiths. And yet, the majority of Orthodox Christians remain respectful of the cross.

Faces of saints on Orthodox jewelry

The Byzantines were the first to wear icons with the faces of saints. At first these were medallions with pieces of incense and particles of saints’ relics, and then faces appeared. Each believer can choose an icon of a patron whose intercession and help he needs.

Most often there are icons and pendants with the faces of the following saints:

Guardian angel. Usually icons are given to adults and children after baptism. The icon helps to make the right decisions and protects a person throughout his life;
Blessed Matrona of Moscow. Helps with difficulties with children, family problems, healing from serious illnesses, as well as other sorrows and troubles. Allows women to find personal happiness; • Mother of God of Vladimir. Gives harmony in marriage, allows you to improve relationships with loved ones and relatives, patronizes the family;
Venerable Sergius of Radonezh. They pray to the Founder of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra for relief from anxiety, for acquiring obedience and humility;
Virgin Mary with the third hand. The second name of the miraculous icon is Three-Handed. They pray to the Mother of God for the health and gift of children;
Seven-shot icon. This is the Mother of God, Theotokos, with a heart pierced by seven swords. It protects from ill-wishers, eliminates bad thoughts, and allows you to improve relationships in the family; • St. George the Victorious. He is the patron saint of travelers and helps to overcome all difficulties along the way. More often, the icon is given to believers whose profession is related to the salvation of people; • Jesus Christ. The Savior is the patron saint of Christians of any age, gender and origin. The icon bestows strength and peace of mind, protects from the influence of others and negative thoughts, and relieves physical and mental ailments; • Kazan Mother of God. She is considered the patroness of family relationships, children and women. The icon blesses marriage;
Pochaevskaya Mother of God. Relieves anger and irritation, helps to gain faith in oneself and heal the soul and body from ailments; • The Holy Trinity. The icon allows everyone who is desperate to find a way out of a difficult situation. The icon is universal and can be given to both adults and children; • Luke. Voino-Yasenetsky priest is prayed for a successful outcome of the surgical operation; • Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. The saint helps in the protection of all those who need it. The icon protects against difficulties and brings good luck. Typically, such decoration is given to children, travelers, students and financiers; • Blessed Xenia of Petersburg. People come to the saint with requests for arranging family life; • Saint Panteleimon the Healer. The icon protects against negativity and supports in times of despair and illness. He is the patron saint of doctors.

It is important to perceive all saints as real people who walked their path on earth and approached God. And now in the Kingdom of Heaven they pray for the people who turn to them, to which love motivates them. The saints are close to what they touched in life, so when choosing an icon, it is important to familiarize yourself with the lives of the saints.

Traditions of wearing Orthodox jewelry

Orthodox Christians do not wear much religious jewelry, and each of them has its own traditions and characteristics.

Ring “Save and Preserve”

One of the main Orthodox jewelry is a ring with the inscription “Save and Preserve.” Why do Christians so often choose this particular piece of jewelry? It’s simple: these are not simple words, but a prayer to the Almighty. An accessory with such an inscription protects from evil thoughts, cleanses the mind and heart, and allows you not to stray from the righteous path.

The production of “Save and Preserve” rings began only in the 19th century in workshops at monasteries. Mostly, jewelry was bought by pilgrims: they had a sacred meaning and reminded them of visiting holy places and traveling. Many dangers awaited travelers on their trips, so the prayer phrase “Save and preserve” served as a kind of assistant. Today, engraved rings are common among Orthodox Christians.

In Orthodoxy, it is forbidden to equate jewelry with amulets, and therefore there are no strict rules regarding jewelry, but there are several recommendations:

it is advisable to wear the ring on the right hand, since the sign of the cross is performed with the fingers of this particular hand;
grooms often give their brides a “Save and Preserve” engagement ring as a sign of their desire to link their lives forever;
engraving on the ring can be done both outside and inside;
Since the ring is not a cross, it can be removed. This is especially true for people engaged in heavy physical labor;
“Save and Preserve” jewelry can be worn as engagement jewelry. Typically, such rings are chosen by believers who attend services;
if desired, the accessory can be worn around the neck if you hang it on a chain or cord;
if the “Save and Preserve” ring was given as an engagement ring, it can be worn together with the wedding jewelry on one finger;
After the death of a significant other, a widower or widower can wear both rings on the left or right hand as a sign of eternal love and sorrow.

Typically, Orthodox jewelry is made from precious metals – gold or silver. At the same time, you should not choose jewelry with precious stones: an openwork inscription or engraving is enough.

“Save and Preserve” rings can be given for christenings, engagements, and weddings. A randomly found piece of jewelry is also not prohibited from being worn: belief in curses and negative energy is similar to superstition, which is far from Christianity. If desired, the found jewelry can be given to the temple as a charitable contribution.

When choosing a “Save and Save” ring, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations:

the decoration can be consecrated in the temple yourself;
“Save and Preserve” jewelry is suitable for both men and women. When choosing a piece of jewelry, you need to focus only on size and thickness (the thicker the ring, the more likely it is for men). It is advisable to try on several jewelry to accurately choose the right one;
If you want to choose jewelry for every day, you should take a closer look at rings with ligature or engraving. Accessories with rich decoration and precious stones are also not prohibited, but wearing them every day will not be so comfortable;
If you have delicate skin on your hands or your fingers often swell, you should take a closer look at rings with laser engraving.

One of the varieties of Orthodox jewelry is security rings – rings with religious symbols or inscriptions. The most popular option is jewelry with the basic Christian prayer “Our Father.” There are also accessories with the name of Jesus Christ, patrons and images of symbols of faith: angel, fish, cross, dove.

It is important to remember: even when choosing jewelry, a Christian must remain a Christian. Therefore, you should not neglect wearing a cross and look for an alternative to the main Orthodox symbol. You should also forget about fears, cowardice and superstition, turning Orthodox jewelry into talismans and amulets. Wearing paraphernalia of other religions is strictly not recommended.

Cross

The pectoral cross is the main religious attribute, indicating membership in the Russian Orthodox Church. Since the 17th century, it has been customary to consecrate crosses in a church: you can buy them both in a church and in a jewelry store or online catalogue:

The cross is a symbol of protection, so it is not advisable to remove it and put it in a distant drawer. It is also not recommended to carry jewelry in a wallet or bag. If it seems that the cross does not go with the image, you can pin it to the inside of the dress;
For many centuries there has been a tradition of exchanging crosses, which makes people brothers. Therefore, you should not believe the myths that all the trials and troubles prepared for the giver are passed on to the recipient;
other religious decorations do not replace the cross. The icons are worn together with the cross, and not instead of it.

An important point: only baptized people can wear a cross. Despite the fact that today jewelers offer crosses in a wide variety of designs, they still remain not a decorative element or a simple decoration. Even the most skillfully made crosses are not primarily a piece of jewelry, but a reminder of God.

Bangle

The first Orthodox bracelets appeared in Byzantium in the 7th century. During the period of iconoclasm, believers could not openly wear jewelry with Orthodox symbols, so each sign acquired its own meaning:

dove – Holy spirit;
X – cross;
ship – Christ’s Church;
lamb – Jesus Christ.

When choosing an Orthodox bracelet, it is important to remember:

the bracelet can be worn over clothing;
The jewelry can be worn on both the left and right hand. The left hand is closer to the heart, and the right hand is associated in Orthodoxy with blessing and grace.

Wearable icons

A body icon, even a miniature one, is a sure way to maintain a connection with the patron saint and God. In order for the protection to be strong and the connection to be continuous, it is important to wear the jewelry correctly, without violating church rules:

the body icon, amulet and cross can be worn together on one cord;
it is advisable to wear the icon on a cord, gold or silver chain;
It is not recommended to keep body icons in your pocket, bag or purse. If you decide to remove them, put them next to large icons;
to make the connection stronger, you should regularly pray to the saint whose face is depicted on the icon;
it is advisable to wear the icon not over clothing, but closer to the body;
icons with the faces of saints can be passed on by inheritance.

When buying Orthodox jewelry, it is important not to forget that a sense of taste, proportion and tact should be inherent in an Orthodox person. By following simple rules, you can wear jewelry that is dear to your heart and not deviate from church rules. Wearing Orthodox jewelry should not be theatrical in nature, but be a small sacred act in the world, performed with love and faith.

Orthodox jewelry has ancient traditions and history, dating back to the development of early Christianity. Therefore, when choosing Orthodox jewelry, it is important to pay attention not only to the beauty of the jewelry accessory, but also to its meaning.

Today I wanted to discuss with you one difficult topic: how acceptable or unacceptable it is for Christians to save, acquire, have and wear various jewelry (including especially valuable jewelry made of precious metals and stones).
Probably, everything depends on the specific culture of the area and the time in which we lived, live, and will live. Suffice it to say that in our Russian Evangelical Christian Baptist churches, the attitude towards this phenomenon – displays of personal jewelry – is very different. It changes and transforms. True, many give a diametrically opposite assessment of these changes: if for some it is secularization, i.e. the acceptance of “worldly values” into one’s life, then for others it is a “modern tendency” to accept certain norms of society, and if thirty years ago even a wedding ring was considered not an entirely acceptable element for a preacher, now the elder, meeting young people, offers them as a sign love and fidelity exchange wedding rings.
Of course, in such a short article we will not be able to thoroughly answer the question posed, but it is still worth discussing it, and discussing it in the light of Holy Scripture, and not simply following a certain tradition that has developed in this particular area or church.
Opponents of wearing jewelry, mostly believers with more than 20 years of spiritual experience, and especially brother preachers, like to cite the text of the Apostle Peter: “Let not the outward braiding of your hair, or gold ornaments, or finery in clothing, but your innermost adornment be your adornment.” man in the incorruptible [beauty] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” – 1 Peter 3:3-4. There is no point in arguing with Peter’s words – this is what the Lord revealed to him, but as often happens, we sometimes take the text of Holy Scripture not in order to understand why it was written, but in order to support our thoughts and conclusions.
If we carefully read the context of this passage of Peter’s letter, we will discover the purpose of its writing: instructions for sisters on how to treat unbelieving husbands in order to win them for eternity. This happened then, this happens today: one of the spouses becomes a believer and wants his other half to also share his Christian values with him and inherit eternal life. And so in order for the husband to come closer to understanding the teachings of Christ, Peter advises believing wives to pay more attention not to their appearance, elegance and jewelry, but to the relationships within the family, to be obedient and courteous to their husbands. However, let’s get back to the decorations.
Jewelry has always been especially valued in every culture of human civilization, and many admire even those ancient products that were created centuries, and even millennia ago, and were found during archaeological excavations of various cultures and nationalities. Even the museums of our country contain unique jewelry of the Scythian culture, made very elegantly, what can we say about the excavations and finds of archaeologists at the birthplace of human civilization in the Middle East?
In other words, this question is not unusual, but on the contrary, on the contrary, it is usually common in the life of human society. The question of owning or not owning special jewelry gave and still gives a certain social status, emphasizes the authority of the owner, and sometimes indicates his exceptional status (for example, a royal crown).
Peter, speaking to the wives and teaching them to live a God-fearing life, says that now (after their conversion to Jesus Christ and in their desire to attract their husbands to the faith) their priorities should be shifted from acquisition to service, from demandingness to submission, from self-will to obedience: “You also, wives, obey your husbands, so that those of them who do not obey the word will be won without a word by the life of their wives when they see your pure, God-fearing life. Let your adornment be not the outward braiding of your hair, not gold jewelry or finery in clothing, but the hidden person of the heart in the incorruptible [beauty] of a meek and silent spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” – 1 Peter 3:1-4
The Apostle does not prohibit believing sisters from wearing jewelry (as many “strict” brothers teach), but he speaks of the superiority of the Christian lifestyle of a Christian woman, especially if her husband is an unbeliever. It shows that they now need to make special efforts to reach their loved ones. And if earlier they were demanding, capricious and willful, and disobedient, now they need to become obedient, loving and silent, fulfilling all the demands of their husbands, which will help them win their hearts for God.
Generally speaking, sisters whose husbands are already in the Lord should have similar behavior. Unfortunately, taking off earrings, rings and chains is much simpler than what the Apostle Peter really tells us in this passage – about changing your character and abandoning self-centeredness.
How many Christian families are there in which the wives do not wear jewelry, but at the same time they remain very far from that lifestyle of the “meek and silent spirit”? This probably happens because they already feel like “saints” because they were able to give up jewelry. This is sometimes taught in churches. And such one-sided teaching often even leads to embarrassment, when such a “zealous saint” (who has achieved the “holiness of the absence of jewelry”) approaches a woman who comes to church for the first time and demands to take off her jewelry. What is the result? The disappointment of the visitor, who is unlikely to be able to cross the threshold of the churchyard a second time. Instead of love and compassion, she encountered demands and rules; instead of real interest in her personality, she encountered strict prohibitions. All this, unfortunately, is reality.
So is jewelry acceptable for God’s people? What does Scripture say about this? Let’s try to figure it out.
Abraham, called the father of faith, did not consider it shameful to have wealth and treasures of various types, including silver and gold, as well as jewelry. This is evident from several places in the book of Genesis: “And Abram was very rich in cattle, and in silver, and in gold.” -Life. 13:2, “The Lord blessed my master greatly, and he became great: He gave him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys;” – Life. 24:35.
If we carefully read the entire 24th chapter of the book of Genesis, we will see that as a wedding gift for the bride of his son Isaac, Abraham gives his faithful servant many gifts, including jewelry: earrings and bracelets.
God blessed the servant’s long journey to find a bride and answered his prayer on the issue of choosing a betrothed for Isaac: “The man looked at her with amazement in silence, wanting to understand whether the Lord had blessed his path or not. When the camels stopped drinking, then the man took a gold earring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her hands, weighing ten [shekels] of gold” – Gen. 24:21-22.
We see that Rebekah joyfully accepted these decorations and immediately put them on: “The maiden ran and told about it in her mother’s house. Rebekah had a brother named Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the source. And when he saw the earring and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake this man unto me, he came to the man, and, behold, he stood with the camels by the fountain” – Gen. 24 :28-30. In other words, this custom of giving jewelry on special occasions, such as matchmaking, was the norm, and did not cause stumbling blocks in pious families.
But, however, not everything is so simple with decorations!
If we carefully read further the book of Genesis, we will also see the following picture: “God said to Jacob: Arise, go to Bethel and live there, and build there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother. And Jacob said to his house and to all that were with him, Cast away the strange gods which are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; let us arise and go to Bethel; there I will build an altar to God, who heard me in the day of my trouble and was with me in the way that I walked. And they gave Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their hands, and the earrings that were in their ears, and Jacob buried them under an oak tree that was near Shechem.” – Gen.35:1-4
The life of an unbelieving environment, as a rule, a corrupt people, with its own rules and orders, conventional traditions and free norms, has a negative impact on pious people. Pagan customs, outwardly very attractive, including forms of worship, round dances, dances, games, sometimes of a sexual nature, dedicated to the worship of gods, nature, space, etc. drew many people into their sphere of influence in ancient times. And at the present time, neo-paganism is quite noticeably making itself known.
It would seem that this is antiquity, but why then today is there such a craze for horoscopes, pagan calendars, mysterious revelations and secret understandings of special “holy” places of power, influence, etc.?
What about the fact that many of our contemporaries wear amulets enchanted by shamans, as well as special jewelry (in the form of revered deities or zodiac signs). It is such seemingly harmless jewelry that sometimes becomes a snare for God’s chosen people. In this matter, the younger generation is more susceptible to the influence of an alien attractive culture, and there is a great danger in this!
Look, the third generation, from Abraham, is already subject to a different worship of the Canaanites and Perizzites – nations that do not worship the true God, and the reason for this is, among other things, jewelry made in a special way, otherwise where does Jacob’s demand come from? Why, along with other people’s gods (idols), does he demand that his offspring give him jewelry, including jewelry, for destruction?
Why did he bury them?
In my opinion, this happened not because he was against decorations as such, but, apparently, those decorations that are narrated in this place were made in the form of other deities, which Jacob opposes. He sees that his children became hostages to the culture of the Canaanites and Perizzites, and jewelry was that inconspicuous key that could open the way to evade the true worship of the living God to idolatrous gods.
In other words, jewelry (including earrings) were and are acceptable to be worn as a simple decoration – elegance (if made in a neutral form), but are absolutely unacceptable if they carry in their image some sacred meaning of deities, amulets, amulets, signs zodiac, etc.
From the example given (Jacob’s demand), one can draw a false conclusion that a godly person should be against jewelry as such. But is it?
Let’s continue to read the Holy Scriptures. We see that deviation from the faith of their fathers led the entire society of Israel into a sad state – they became slaves of the Egyptians for several generations. However, at the appointed time, God commands Moses to lead his people out of Egyptian slavery (book of Exodus), and what do we see? Undoubtedly, we are amazed and horrified by the amazing ten plagues of “Egypt,” especially the last one, where we very clearly see in the slain lamb a prototype of the eternal Lamb. But returning to the subject of our discussion, I would like to draw your attention to these words: “And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold and clothing. The Lord gave mercy to [His] people in the sight of the Egyptians: and they gave to him, and he robbed the Egyptians.” – Ex.12:35-36
Look, Moses, the meekest of all people, was not against jewelry, precious clothes, silver and gold. From the above passage it is also clear that God favored such a desire of his people, and disposed the hearts of the Egyptians to give their jewelry and clothes to the Jews.
It would seem like complete grace, however, as we previously considered, jewelry acquired in such an easy way, in a short time, will serve as an instrument of idolatry that will lead Israel into sin, and will serve the first mass extermination from the face of the earth, already free from the Egyptian slavery of the Jews people.
“When the people saw that Moses did not come down from the mountain for a long time, they gathered to Aaron and said to him: Arise and make us a god who would go before us, for with this man, with Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what happened. And Aaron said to them: Take out the gold earrings that are in the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters, and bring them to me. And all the people took the gold earrings out of their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took them from their hands, and made a molten calf out of them, and dressed it with a chisel. And they said, Behold your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt! When Aaron saw [this], he set up an altar before him, and Aaron proclaimed, saying, “Tomorrow is a feast for the Lord.” The next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings: and the people sat down to eat and drink, and afterward they stood up to play. And the Lord said to Moses, Hasten to go down; For your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have become corrupt; They soon turned away from the path that I commanded them: they made themselves a molten calf and worshiped it, and offered sacrifices to it and said: “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” – Exodus 32:1-8
“And Moses stood at the gate of the camp and said, “Whoever is the Lord’s, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered to him. And he said to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Put every man his sword on his thigh, go through the camp from gate to gate and back, and kill every man his brother, every man his friend, every man his neighbor. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and about three thousand of the people fell that day.” – Exodus 32:26-28
What do I want to say? While earrings and other jewelry were on the hands and ears of the Jews, and they were waiting for the revelations of God from Moses, who talked with God on the holy Mount Sinai, they were not in themselves sinful or unacceptable. But as soon as they became an object of worship (of which Aaron made a molten calf), they became unacceptable, vicious and sinful, subject to complete destruction, and also served as death for those who were overly carried away by this worship of the golden calf.
Let’s now try to figuratively transfer this situation to our days. What do we see? If you don’t have earrings in your ears and bracelets on your hands, then do you think you are already completely free from the “golden calf”? Or can we interpret such a concept as “golden calf” much more broadly? In my opinion this is true! Anything that distracts me from the true worship of the living God serves as a snare and a trap for me. And if I am completely free from jewelry (I only wear a wedding ring), then am I completely free from the “golden calf”? Unfortunately no!
You may not agree with me, but most of us have long been infected with some kind of “golden calf”, whether it concerns our homes, clothes, cars, recreation, etc. Many of us are constantly dissatisfied and dissatisfied with the present, whether it concerns ourselves, our society or rulers. Our consumption measures have many times exceeded all the norms of a modest Christian life about which the Apostle Paul wrote: “It is a great gain to be godly and content. For we have brought nothing into the world; It’s obvious that we can’t take anything [from it]. Having food and clothing, we will be content.” – 1 Tim.6:6-8
I want to express my thought very clearly: in my opinion, God is not against jewelry as such, and if a person can freely afford to dress well and wear jewelry, including jewelry, this is completely acceptable. But when a person attaches some sacred meaning to his jewelry, be it a simple rope or a precious gold jewelry with diamonds, or he spends a lot of effort in order to acquire such a desired item, he sins and becomes an admirer of the “golden calf.”
Today, young people are ready to take out multi-thousand-dollar loans just to become the owner of a much-coveted new iPhone, but they are absolutely not ready and do not want to take out a loan in order to undertake a missionary trip or other service.
Some may tell me that all the passages that were quoted are from the Old Testament. For me, all Scripture is inspired by God, and as for the New Testament, in it too I see God’s normal attitude towards jewelry.
Remember Mary and Joseph, who, before they were married, were betrothed. How do you think this happened? In my opinion, just like today, young people exchange rings, and these rings are a symbol of their decision to be together for the rest of their lives.
What do you think of Christ’s parable about the prodigal son? What did his father give him on his hand?
Oh, this is impossible! This prodigal, worthless son received a precious ring (perhaps even an heirloom, passed down from generation to generation)! “And the father said to his servants, Bring the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet” – Luke 15:22
In this parable told by Jesus Christ, I see His obvious sympathy for the act of a loving father and His slight bewilderment towards his older brother.
Unfortunately, on the issue of admissibility of jewelry, many believers take the side of the older brother.
Which side are you on, dear reader?
May the Lord bless us all to be on His side!

TVG, Barnaul, June 2019

Can believers wear jewelry?

Differences and surviving traditions

Faces of saints on Orthodox jewelry