Greek Traditions Community

Did you know that Greek wedding rings are an Orthodox tradition?

1 - 4 of 4 Posts
xmelissaa

xmelissaa

Active member
In the United States and all around the world, a wedding ring signifies an engagement and a future marriage. It's not necessarily a religious symbol, it's more cultural. In the Greek orthodox religion, wedding rings or a tradition that signifies the "exchange of the rings." Most wedding rings will have the partners name and engraved on the inside or the date of the wedding.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jawge
Great question!!

Here are a few helpful articles about getting married in the Greek Orthodox church:

www.greekboston.com

The Greek Wedding Ceremony Breakdown

A play-by-play guide to attending your first Greek Wedding. Learn about the different parts of the Greek wedding ceremony.
www.greekboston.com www.greekboston.com

www.greekboston.com

Tips for Buying the Wedding Rings

While in the US it is common to have two rings, in Greece they usually only purchase the wedding band. Here are some tips for buying the wedding rings.
www.greekboston.com www.greekboston.com
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jawge
What hand do you wear your wedding ring on?
 
xmelissaa said:
In the United States and all around the world, a wedding ring signifies an engagement and a future marriage. It's not necessarily a religious symbol, it's more cultural. In the Greek orthodox religion, wedding rings or a tradition that signifies the "exchange of the rings." Most wedding rings will have the partners name and engraved on the inside or the date of the wedding.
Click to expand...
I like this tradition of engraving the name of the partners in the rings. That's so beautiful!
 
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

Learning about hospitality in Greece

I was trying to explain to some non-Greek friends about hospitality in Greece. I feel like it's next level, but how do you explain it?

Could anyone help me explain any of the following:
  • Traditional welcome gestures in Greece
  • Common household customs when visiting a Greek home
  • Etiquette for showing appreciation to Greek hosts
  • Any specific do's and don'ts that a foreigner should be aware of

When does Orthodox lent start this year?

I noticed our Easter is late - May 5th - but Western Easter is at the end of March. Has Lent already started for them? When does our Lent start?

This year, I plan to do a stricter Lenten fast, so I want to plan some things out in advance.

Lent is a time for introspection, repentance, and spiritual growth. Through the dedicated practice of fasting, prayer, and charity, believers seek not only to grow closer to God but also to better understand themselves in relation to God’s will.

Where did plate smashing come from?

When Greeks feel happy and are dancing and have a good time, they've been known to smash plates. I've seen it! It's not just a tourist thing - but they don't do it much because I am sure they won't want to smash their expensive dish wear.

I was just at a wedding and they had purchased plates to smash - so basically they were cheap throwaway plates that actually smashed really well. I almost wonder if they were made for the purpose...

It got me thinking - where did this tradition come from? Does anyone know?

Thinking about the Greek way of hospitality...

I thought I would ask your thoughts oh Philoxenia - or the Greek way, or art, of hospitality. I noticed this when I travel in Greece. People are so kind, they often go out of the way for us, when I feel that they don't have to! How can one describe this to someone?

From what I understand, Philoxenia is not merely a practice but a deeply ingrained value within Greek culture that extends far beyond the simple act of hosting. It reflects a genuine, heartfelt welcome to strangers, treating them with the same respect and generosity one would show to a dearly beloved friend. This beautiful tradition, passed down through generations, turns the act of hosting into an art form, embodying warmth, respect, and a profound sense of human compassion. There have been so many stories I can think of...

This thought process was triggered because we were watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 - someone in the village had taken on a Syrian refugee. Is this a Greek hospitality thing? Philoxenia?

Ideas for Celebrating the New Month - Kalo Mina

Growing up, I heard my family say this all the time when there was a new month. I finally started paying attention to the tradition and ritual of saying it.

Kalo Mina actually means "Good Month" but my family took it a step further. We developed the habit of doing something special as a family to celebrate.It depends which day it falls. Some things we've done:

- Brunch - We do this if it falls on a weekend.
- Dinner - Going out to dinner is great any time of the year!
- Journaling - We've done family journaling parties, sitting together reflecting on the month. Sometimes we read aloud what we write (depends how the month went LOL)
- Goals - No matter if we do anything, like go out to dinner or brunch, we always sit and review our goals for the month together.
Share and discuss Greek traditions related to Greek weddings, christenings, dance & holidays!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top