Do you kiss your fingers after making the Sign of the Cross?

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They do this in Mexico, where my husband is from. They are not just kissing their fingers, they are making a cross out of their thumb and index finger and kissing it. I have also seen this among Italians and other ethnically “Latin” Catholics (rest of Latin America, Philippines). [OT: I also object to being called an Anglo. I am of Irish and Scottish descent, and it rankles to be lumped in with the English.]

In Mexico they also frequently cross their foreheads, mouths, and hearts, more than just before the Gospel reading. It is an alternative form of blessing oneself. The head/mouth/heart crossing is called persignarse and the full crossing is called santiguarse. They are usually done together; first you would persignarse and finish by santiguarse.

Edit: repeated words
 
I began doing this when I started college a couple years ago. I had always found the practice to be beautiful, but had never really gotten the courage to do it. Nobody else in my family or small parish does it, but I have seen some people do it at college.

Perhaps I should also point out that I have no Latin American blood in me. I have mostly German and Scandinavian ancestry.

🙂
 
No, I never do this. I am not saying that I see anything wrong with it but I just never do it personally.
 
sedonaman said:
Not to de-rail the thread, but I know what you mean. Being 100% of Italian descent with fair skin and blue eyes, I am often mistaken for an Anglo too. I like to tell people I am not a WASP [white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant] because I’m not “white”, not Anglo, not Saxon, and not a Protestant. I said that to a Hispanic once, and he got offended 😛
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Yes I am 100% too and fair skinned. Yes I do kiss my fingers sometimes. I also still bless myself when passing a Church. I’m trying to drop old habits but I am an old bag and was away from Church a long time. I have to catch up to all the changes the past forty years. I went with hubby to RCIA and am still learning. He made his First Holy Communion and Confirmation this past Easter Vigil and I was his sponser. He does Host in hand, face to face confession , didn’t get smacked as soldier of Christ, etc. Lots of changes, no Baltimore , I still say (Nun) Sister says… Its all good, I will try to get in step with you all. You should have seen the faces of some people when I asked why nobody kissed the Bishop’s ring. :eek:and released time…:eek:My prayers are old style too . I’m sure Our Lord doesn’t mind, and I am blessed by his goodness and mercy.
 
White_Peony said:
Want to make sure I’m not the only one doing this…😊
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Yes, I do this almost every time. I’m not sure where I picked it up, but I’ve been doing it for years. I do have Anglo in me, mostly German though.
 
cmforte said:
Not to be picky, since this is really sort of frivalous and off-topic, but not every non-Hispanic “White” person is Anglo. The Anglos were one of many Caucasian tribes in Europe. (The Spanish are Caucasian too, btw). As an Italian-American, I am a descendant of the Latins (Romans) and get really upset when I claim that lineage, then someone says to me, “No, you’re White, you’re not Latin, you’re Anglo!”
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Thanks for sharing! Your beef really is very picky, especially when you consider how the word “anglo” is used in certain areas. Your particular definition, though it suits your needs (and perhaps the needs of your area of the country), just doesn’t work in my area of the country. In my area, Anglo means white folks of any kind. You’d still be Anglo in my area, unless you were actually Italian (and I mean the non-hyphentated kind) – even then, you’d probably still be considered Anglo.

Still, rage on! I love this kind of information
 
I grew up with a Sicilian step-mother in an Italian-American neighborhood. Every Italian-American I knew considered themselves white. And of the five or six Spaniards I’ve known, none referred to themselves as Hispanic. Personally, I grew up under strong Italian influences and absolutely love the culture. If there is such a thing, I’m Italian in my heart. My siblings look like they just arrived from Rome; I simply wish I were in Rome!
 
WillYart said:
Thanks for the explanation re. marking head, mouth and heart and what it means. As an adult coming into the church, I don’t imagine I would normally be told about all this.
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Yeah, you should be told. A couple of years ago, I sponsored a young woman in RCIA. She was taught by the RCIA team, and me, to sign her head, mouth and heart–saying quietly to yourself, or in your mind: “Let us receive in our minds, announce it with our lips, and keep in our hearts.”
 
It could be suggested that “Anglo” is short for “Anglophone” which of course means English-speaking. I, too, use “Anglo” as a catch-all for non-Hispanic Americans, and I did not realize that it was offensive to some. But of course race is a thorny issue. Latinos are offended by calling them Hispanics or Chicano or Mexican, so I tread lightly there too.
 
Tampa_Dave said:
I grew up with a Sicilian step-mother in an Italian-American neighborhood. Every Italian-American I knew considered themselves white.
This is pretty unuque to North America and Europe. If you met a descendant of Italian immigrants in Argentina who has been there for generations and assimilated into its culture, while keeping some of their Italian heritage, is that person “White”? Or “Hispanic”?
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Me, too!!
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Rejoice Always: In my area, Anglo means white folks of any kind. You’d still be Anglo in my area, unless you were actually Italian (and I mean the non-hyphentated kind) – even then, you’d probably still be considered Anglo.
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I know, but this is just the type of ignorance I am trying to dispell. Because it means whatever in your area, doesn’t make it right. Calling me “Anglo” denies me my heritage. And what about hispanics who speak english? Are they not “Anglo” then? And many Latin Americans are “White,” that is, *Caucasian. * Besides that, white is a social construct: scientifically-speaking, white people don’t exist. And Italians, especially Southern Italians and Sicilians, weren’t always considered “White” or “Anglo” in the USA.

-Chris

ps I know a mod will say this is going WAY off-topic, so if anyone is interested in continuing to discuss this, perhaps we should start another thread in an appropriate forum? Just a thought…
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sedonaman said:
Not to de-rail the thread, but I know what you mean. Being 100% of Italian descent with fair skin and blue eyes, I am often mistaken for an Anglo too. I like to tell people I am not a WASP [white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant] because I’m not “white”, not Anglo, not Saxon, and not a Protestant. I said that to a Hispanic once, and he got offended 😛
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👍
 
Yes, I’ve always done this. I think it was my part-puerto rican childhood friend who taught me to, now that I think about it.

And since its being talked about, I am also uncomfortable being called ‘Anglo’.
 
cmforte said:
I know, but this is just the type of ignorance I am trying to dispell. Because it means whatever in your area, doesn’t make it right. Calling me “Anglo” denies me my heritage. And what about hispanics who speak english? Are they not “Anglo” then? And many Latin Americans are “White,” that is, *Caucasian. * Besides that, white is a social construct: scientifically-speaking, white people don’t exist. And Italians, especially Southern Italians and Sicilians, weren’t always considered “White” or “Anglo” in the USA.
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As I said, rage on! Educate the ignorant bourgeoisie out of their linguistic oppression and teach them the fundamentals of identity politics! Hyphenate your liberation and deconstruct the non-hyphenated hegemony!

Maybe a new thread is needed to address this crucial issue? But I fear you will lose the momentum gained here in dispelling the improper and quite possibly offensive use of Anglo.
 
perro_sarnoso said:
you are not the only one. What we kiss is a cross formed by you thumb and second joint of your index finger. It is a very old tradition.
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I’m interested in where the tradition came from. How did it start? When? Who or what started it? Why?

-Chris
 
cmforte said:
I’m interested in where the tradition came from. How did it start? When? Who or what started it? Why?

-Chris
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With me…it was my great grandmother. She was in her mid 80s at the time (some 49 years ago).
If you want more history than that, I suggest one of the brainiacs on CAF.
 
Infact, I noticed that I do kiss my fingers after making the Sign of The Cross. I can’t remember where I learnt it from. I’ve got this funny feeling that I might have copied it from a film involving nuns.
So am I an Anglo? My mother is white english and father black jamaican. I was born in good ole rainy England 🤷
 
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