Are we supposed to press three fingers together when making the Sign of the Cross?

[jas84173]

I was speaking to someone who belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Church, specifically the Russian Orthodox Church, and in conversation she told me she never understood why Catholics don’t press three fingers together when making the Sign of the Cross. This would make sense as it would represent the trinity.
Are we supposed to and I just have been ignorant of it my whole life? Because when you think about it I feel like this would make more sense than using one finger. Many Catholics it seems don’t put much emphasis into it at all. I do agree on that .

 

[JamalChristophr]

I’ve been doing it wrong all this time.

 

[Melchior_1]

I personally do the three fingers thing, but I haven’t heard of any particular practice in the Western Church.

 

[pianistclare]

The Eastern Churches and some other cultures do this.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13785a.htm

 

[DaveBj]

In the 17th century there was a split in the Russian Orthodox Church over, among other things, whether to use two or three fingers when doing the Sign of the Cross.

(I would have included a LOL emoji, only it’s not really funny.)

Schism of the Russian Church - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

D

 

[Thom18]

I use two fingers together. The other three (or, two and the thumb) are curled inward. Either way, you have a way of expressing both the Trinity and the two natures of Christ.

 

[Cruciferi]

I use my whole hand
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Thom18]

Do you notice how many fingers actually “hit”?

 

[Cruciferi]

I could get five if I wanted

 

[Crusaderbear]

It’s probably a tradition rather than a requirement! Now I’m gonna be self conscious

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[Entwhistler]

That like was produced with the use of all five.

 

[YoungApologist3]

You haven’t been doing it wrong. As per my understanding, you aren’t doing it “wrong” unless you don’t include the head, general area of the sternum, or the shoulders (in the order of head, sternum, and shoulders left to right). Even then, it would only be “wrong” if you messed it up during a time that the Church specifies that the Sign of the Cross is done, like Mass, confession, etc. Anything added on to the sign is up to the individual and is optional.

(It’s different for Eastern Catholics, but I chose to omit this because it will confuse the issue, as the OP is very likely Latin Rite, and possibly doesn’t know of the traditions of the eastern Church.)

That being said, I do the three/two finger thing, as it brings to mind the three persons of the Trinity, and two natures of Christ.