Blessing yourself "Sign of the Cross"

[hudson]

I am just recently returning to the Church and I notice some people bless theirselves relentlessly throughout Mass. Just some examples, after the Penetential Rite, after the Gospel, after any time the Priest says let us pray, after communion, after we renew our Baptism vows, after Communion, after the Priest says the Mass has ended, when the Priest walks in, when the Priest walks out, when incense is used towards the laity, etc. Can someone shed some light on when we are supposed to bless ourselves and when it is optional or not needed at all. Thanks.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

As best I can tell from the rubrics (someone correct me if I’m wrong), there are TWO instances specified for the laity to make the sign of the cross during the OF Mass: 1) At the opening rite, and 2) At the dismissal blessing. These are both led by the presider saying the words of the Trinitarian formula. (There’s also the “triple” cross at the announcement of the Gospel: mind, lips, heart)

There are many other times, as you point out, when people may cross themselves as a personal piety (or simply habit). Many times, this is a symbolic “acceptance” of a blessing given: the penitential rite, reception of the Eucharist, incense or sprinkling of holy water, etc. Sometimes, this may be specifically led by some priests - I remember one as a kid who always led the entire congregation in the sign of the cross (with words) after his homily. Most of these are carry-overs from “the old days” (pre-Vatican II?), as it was explained to me as a kid. These personal piety crosses are all optional to the best of my knowledge. At least, I’ve never seen anything in writing to the contrary.

 

[novusCatholic]

The early Christians made the Sign of the Cross pretty often. The early custom was to trace a cross on the forehead, rather than on the chest like we do today.

Around A.D. 250, Tertullian wrote, “In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross”

Around A.D. 386, St. Cyril of Jersualem wrote, “Let us then not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the cross our seal, made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat and the cups we drink, in our comings and in our goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are traveling, and when we are at rest”

 

[ConstantineTG]

The early Christians made the Sign of the Cross pretty often. The early custom was to trace a cross on the forehead, rather than on the chest like we do today.

Byzantine Christians make the sign of the cross at every mention of God in the Liturgy, every time we would make a reverence, and also to receive a blessing when the priest blesses with the sign of the cross. I never kept score but I think we would make a sign of the cross over 30 times in a Divine Liturgy.

 

[John_Lilburne]

I am just recently returning to the Church and I notice some people bless theirselves relentlessly throughout Mass. Just some examples, after the Penetential Rite, after the Gospel, after any time the Priest says let us pray, after communion, after we renew our Baptism vows, after Communion, after the Priest says the Mass has ended, when the Priest walks in, when the Priest walks out, when incense is used towards the laity, etc. Can someone shed some light on when we are supposed to bless ourselves and when it is optional or not needed at all. Thanks.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“124. After doing these things, the priest goes to the chair. Once the Entrance chant is concluded, the priest and faithful, all standing, make the Sign of the Cross.”

At the end of Mass there are no instructions for the people to make the Sign of the Cross:
“167. Then the priest, extending his hands, greets the people, saying,* Dominus vobiscum (The Lord be with you). They answer, Et cum spiritu tuo (And also with you). The priest, joining his hands again and then immediately placing his left hand on his breast, raises his right hand and adds, Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus (May Almighty God Bless you)* and, as he makes the Sign of the Cross over the people, continues, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus (the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit). All answer, Amen.”

When the bishop does the blessing, there are no instructions for the people to make the Sign of the Cross three times:
“167. … A Bishop blesses the people with the appropriate formula, making the Sign of the Cross three times over the people.”

The deacon is instructed to make the Sign of the Cross when he is blessed, before reading the Gospel:
“175. The priest blesses him, saying, Dominus sit in corde tuo (The Lord be in your heart). The deacon signs himself with the Sign of the Cross and responds, Amen.”

Everyone is instructed to make the “small Sign of the Cross” at the beginning of the Gospel:
“134. … Then he says, Lectio sancti Evangelii (A reading from the holy gospel), making the sign of the cross with his thumb on the book and on his forehead, mouth, and breast, which everyone else does as well.”

A distinguishing feature of the blessings being done by lay people, in the Book of Blessings, (Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1875-8) is that the Sign of the Cross is not made, over what is being blessed, at the time of the blessing. For example, a rubric for a blessing before meals: “1046 After the reading, the one presiding says the following prayer (a priest or deacon make the sign of the cross).”

So I am convinced that it is incorrect for the people to make the Sign of the Cross when they are blessed at the end of Mass.

 

[DaveBj]

snip

So I am convinced that it is incorrect for the people to make the Sign of the Cross when they are blessed at the end of Mass.

Why? You didn’t quote anything that forbids it. Are you one of those who believes that whatever is not specifically permitted, is therefore forbidden?

 

[LaFleurDeLis]

I would think that if any of these blessings discussed in this thread were “forbidden”, priests would say something to the congregation about it. The sign of the cross is a blessing you are allowed to make anytime you want whether it is during mass, when you wake up in the morning, or when you feel that you are in danger.

 

[TheMc]

I would think that if any of these blessings discussed in this thread were “forbidden”, priests would say something to the congregation about it. The sign of the cross is a blessing you are allowed to make anytime you want whether it is during mass, when you wake up in the morning, or when you feel that you are in danger.

The church has forbidden these blessings during communion time. Rome has spoken. End of story.

Just because most people don’t listen doesn’t make it right. I live in a very liberal area, and with few exceptions, nearly everyone thinks abortion is ok. Does that make it right?

The Lord Jesus never said it would be easy being a christian, or even a priest. But the need to obey is still there.

 

[DaveBj]

The church has forbidden these blessings during communion time. Rome has spoken. End of story.

Just because most people don’t listen doesn’t make it right. I live in a very liberal area, and with few exceptions, nearly everyone thinks abortion is ok. Does that make it right?

The Lord Jesus never said it would be easy being a christian, or even a priest. But the need to obey is still there.

The Adoremus Bulletin that you cited has nothing to do with the OP’s query, which had to do with people making the sign of the cross during Mass. Rome may have spoken about people coming up with arms crossed to get a blessing in the communion line, but that is another subject entirely.

It would appear that you were the one who wasn’t listening (or, in this context, reading for content).

 

[Stylites]

I would think that if any of these blessings discussed in this thread were “forbidden”, priests would say something to the congregation about it. The sign of the cross is a blessing you are allowed to make anytime you want whether it is during mass, when you wake up in the morning, or when you feel that you are in danger.

Do whatever the spirit moves you to do, and don’t give weight to the decrees of the self-appointed guardians of piety on the internet.

 

[MissRose73]

When I attended the EF Mass, we crossed ourselves many more times compared to the OF Mass. I had no issues with that at all. I even noticed a young mother who took her toddler son out a few times when he got fussy who genuflected and crossed herself when leaving then returning to her seat near me.

Most people cross themselves at the beginning and ending of Mass when the priest gives the opening and closing mentioning the sign of the cross.

I do notice many cross themselves: when entering Mass & blessing themselves with holy water, when genuflecting before taking a seat, during/after the penitential rite, after the homily, just after the host then also the chalice are raised during the Consecration, after accepting Communion, and when leaving Mass blessing themselves with holy water.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Why? You didn’t quote anything that forbids it. Are you one of those who believes that whatever is not specifically permitted, is therefore forbidden?

The liturgical books do not direct us to breath, but I do not interpret that as forbidden. But when it comes to liturgical actions, Sacrosanctum Concilium (at vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html ) directed: “31. The revision of the liturgical books must carefully attend to the provision of rubrics also for the people’s parts.”

I think the liturgical books consistently have only the presider making the Sign of the Cross at the end. Even when the presider is a lay person, for a Communion Service:
“40. If the minister is not a priest or deacon, he invokes God’s blessing and, crossing himself, says:
May the Lord bless us, ….” (Holy Communion and the Worship of the Eucharist Outside of Mass in The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 653).

If this is intended to mean “everyone present crosses themselves” then it is not communicating it clearly. In all the liturgical books. A consistent mistake or a deliberate intention? I prefer the latter.

 

[Digitonomy]

Why? You didn’t quote anything that forbids it. Are you one of those who believes that whatever is not specifically permitted, is therefore forbidden?

The point he makes is that the actions of the congregation are described differently in the introductory prayer compared with the dismissal. If the sign of the cross were not mentioned in the introductory prayer, but assumed, that would be one thing. When it is prescribed in the intro, but not in the dismissal, it’s fair to argue that it was intentionally left out. Not persuasive in my opinion (I favor sloppy editing as the explanation), but fair.

John Lilburne takes a hyper-literal approach to interpreting Church documents. That sometimes puts him outside the manistream on issues like this one. But it also means his sharp eyes see things the rest of us don’t, conditioned as we are by what we’ve always been told and the way we’ve always done things. Having done an extensive internet search a few years ago, I could find no other source that correctly read the mind of the CDW that it intended to forbid the use of “Yahweh” in hymns, not just in scriptural translations.

 

[Corki]

[edited]

The point he makes is that the actions of the congregation are described differently in the introductory prayer compared with the dismissal. If the sign of the cross were not mentioned in the introductory prayer, but assumed, that would be one thing. When it is prescribed in the intro, but not in the dismissal, it’s fair to argue that it was intentionally left out. Not persuasive in my opinion (I favor sloppy editing as the explanation), but fair.

Maybe… But in many instances, including the prohibition against the conferring of blessings in the Communion line, there is a reference to the “blessing” at the dismissal. This make is different from the Sign of the Cross that is used to begin the Mass so it would be expected that they would be described differently. Whenever one receives a blessing, it is not abberant to cross oneself.

 

[TheMc]

The blessing given during Communion is not the same thing. That is a blessing being conferred by one person (the priest) to another (the person in line). Making the sign of the Cross at other times is blessing one’s self.

I don’t think we are talking about blessing oneself. We are talking about the priest, or god forbid, the EMHC giving a blessing to those not able, for whatever reason, to receive communion.

Maybe… But in many instances, including the prohibition against the conferring of blessings in the Communion line, there is a reference to the “blessing” at the dismissal. This make is different from the Sign of the Cross that is used to begin the Mass so it would be expected that they would be described differently. Whenever one receives a blessing, it is not abberant to cross oneself.

I don’t understand what you are saying.

 

[TheMc]

I would think that if any of these blessings discussed in this thread were “forbidden”, priests would say something to the congregation about it. The sign of the cross is a blessing you are allowed to make anytime you want whether it is during mass, when you wake up in the morning, or when you feel that you are in danger.

The church has forbidden these blessings during communion time. Rome has spoken. End of story.

Just because most people don’t listen doesn’t make it right. I live in a very liberal area, and with few exceptions, nearly everyone thinks abortion is ok. Does that make it right?

The Lord Jesus never said it would be easy being a christian, or even a priest. But the need to obey is still there.

Whoops…I think I grossly misread “LaFleurDeLis” post. My appolgies. I have no idea what I was thinking when I posted this. I think I might have been intending to respond to another thread, and started typing into the wrong page. My apologies for the completely random argumentitive post. I’ll see if a mod can remove it.

 

[TheMc]

It would appear that you were the one who wasn’t listening (or, in this context, reading for content).

Indeed.

 

[JM3]

CCC

2157 The Christian begins his day, his prayers, and his activities with the Sign of the Cross: “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” The baptized person dedicates the day to the glory of God and calls on the Savior’s grace which lets him act in the Spirit as a child of the Father. The sign of the cross strengthens us in temptations and difficulties.

 

[DaveBj]

Indeed.

As I have been known to do from time to time

 

[Jim_Roberts]

RE

Of course we all bless ourselves at the beginning of the mass: In the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit.

When we enter a church, we always make the sign of the cross with holy water because it indicates the Trinity.