Joseph Attoh 
A recent burial service brought to light a troubling request: the family of the deceased demanded that the widow remove her marriage rings to be placed in the coffin, claiming the act would “cancel the marriage covenant.”
The incident raises important concerns about the intersection of tradition, faith, and the emotional wellbeing of grieving spouses.
Across cultures, marriage is marked by visible symbols. Among Akans, specific forms of dress distinguish married women from unmarried ones, and in Islamic practice, widows observe a prescribed mourning period before certain symbols are set aside. These customs demonstrate that marriage is not abruptly dissolved at burial but transitions through recognised rites over time.
Marriage rings, though now common in Ghanaian Christian weddings, trace their origins to ancient civilizations where they symbolised eternity and enduring love. Over the years, they have been integrated into both cultural and church practices as visible tokens of covenant commitment.
Scripture teaches in Romans 7:2 that marriage is dissolved by death. However, in many Ghanaian traditions, widowhood involves structured rites before a surviving spouse is formally released. These processes are intended to manage grief and provide social support, not to impose sudden emotional detachment.
For the Church, particularly The Church of Pentecost, such developments call for pastoral sensitivity and doctrinal clarity. Demanding rings at burial services may deepen trauma and symbolically enforce an abrupt separation during a vulnerable moment.
Widows and widowers deserve compassion and dignity. Symbols of marriage should not become instruments of additional grief, but reminders of a covenant honoured in life and respectfully concluded in time.
Written by Pastor Fredrick Asante-Lartey – Bawdie District, Bogoso Area
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