Hand position for the Sign of the Cross

[hamburglar]

Is there a correct position of the hand for the Sign of the Cross in the Latin Church? I was recently lectured by a Ukrainian Catholic priest about the correct way of doing it in the Eastern Churches. I understand that. But is there a correct way of positioning your fingers while signing oneself in the Latin Church?

I’ve seen most people sign themselves with an open hand. I have always done the position that a priest is supposed to use when giving a blessing. That is, index and middle finger extended upwards, with the middle finger being slightly bent, and the pinky and ring fingers are folded in closer to the palm, with the thumb joining them.

Is it wrong to sign myself using the position that is used when giving a blessing?

 

[DaveBj]

There just was a thread on this topic. Bottom line–there is no specified hand position, altho I suspect crossing oneself with only the “bird” finger extended might be frowned upon.

The Orthodox take it kind of serious, tho. At one point in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, there was split over whether to cross oneself with two fingers or with three.