Episcopal Ring
A ring worn by a bishop as a sign of the bishop's office. It is worn on the third finger of the right hand. It is one of the traditional symbols of episcopal office. It may be given to a newly ordained bishop after the presentation of the Bible and the formula “Receive the Holy Scriptures” at the ordination service (BCP, pp. 521, 553). Early episcopal rings were engraved with a signet and used as a seal. Some episcopal rings enclosed relics. These rings are often gold and may contain an amethyst. They were once seen to represent the bishop's marriage to the diocese.
Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.