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Fingers in
Pagan history
Rings
in Christian history
Rings in
Seventh Day Adventist Church
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Origins of the wedding ring
Episcopal Rings.
Knowing the attraction that rings have exerted upon the laity, it
is not surprising that the clergy also adopted the use of rings. The
most famous ecclesiastical rings are the "Episcopal ring" that was
conferred upon the newly elected bishop and the "fisherman’s ring"
worn by the pope. The latter derives its name from the gemstone
which carries an engraving of Peter in a boat pulling up a fishing
net.
The Episcopal ring, as The Catholic Encyclopedia explains, "was
strictly speaking an Episcopal ornament conferred in the rite of
consecration, and it was commonly regarded as emblematic of the
betrothal of the bishop to His Church."32 The Gregorian formula,
still used today in delivering the ring, says: "Receive the ring,
that is to say the seal of faith, whereby thou, being thyself
adorned with spotless faith, may keep unsullied the troth which thou
pledged to the spouse of God, His holy Church."33 The idea of
conjugal fidelity is symbolically present also in the Episcopal
rings.
It is noteworthy that the same encyclopedia traces the origin of the
Episcopal ring back to the golden ring worn by ancient pagan priests
consecrated to the worship of Jupiter: "Knowing as we do, that in
the pagan days of Rome every flamen Dialis (i.e., a priest specially
consecrated to the worship of Jupiter) had, like the senators, the
privilege of wearing a gold ring, it would not be surprising to find
evidence in the fourth century that rings were worn by Christian
bishops."34 The same source, however, questions the validity of the
fourth century’s evidence, arguing instead that the first
unmistakable evidence comes to us from a Decree issued by Pope
Boniface IV in 610, requiring monks elevated to the Episcopal
dignity to wear the ring.35
Bishops and popes came to love their rings so much that they wanted
to be buried with them. This explains why splendid collection of
Episcopal rings have been found in papal sarcophagi (coffins) and
have come down to us. The influence of paganism is evident in many
of the Episcopal rings since they are set with ancient pagan gems
engraved with pagan symbols. Referring to Episcopal rings, The
Encyclopedia Britannica says: "In many cases an antique gem was
mounted in the bishop’s ring, and often an inscription was added in
the gold setting of the gem to give a Christian name to the pagan
figure."36 In other cases, according to the same source, no change
was made to the pagan engraving and "the gem appears to have been
merely regarded as an ornament without meaning
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