Kissing thumb in church during pandemic

  • Thread starter Thread starter Buks
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Buks

Guest
The practice of adding to the sign of the cross is widespread. During the pandemic, IMO this practice of touching the lips should no longer be done in church, where the person will then touch the pew, kneeler, door knob, etc., with even the tiniest trace of saliva on their thumb.

Thoughts?
 
I wouldn’t.

Where are you that there are still public Liturgies?
 
From what I understand, if you’re breathing you’re capable of spreading the virus around so I don’t think stopping trace amounts of saliva on fingers will help much. Besides, once I go outside my house all face touching stops. Even if I was allowed to go to church I think God would understand if I didn’t make the sign of the cross during this time.
 
I don’t know anybody who “adds to the sign of the cross” in the way you describe. I’ve honestly never seen it.

The only time a person touches their lips is at Mass when they make the little sign of the cross on their lips at the Gospel, and Masses have been suspended here for over a week.

On top of that, not many people are going to the churches here to pray since we’re on stay at home order; some other places have the churches actually locked down for days now; and even when I am in a church I avoid touching surfaces and my face both, and sanitize my hands before and after, so if somebody touched their lip and a pew I should be able to avoid that.
 
Last edited:
humbleseeker said:
From what I understand, if you’re breathing you’re capable of spreading the virus around so I don’t think stopping trace amounts of saliva on fingers will help much. Besides, once I go outside my house all face touching stops. Even if I was allowed to go to church I think God would understand if I didn’t make the sign of the cross during this time.
Click to expand...
I actually was touching the top of my head and not my forehead the last few times I was making sign of the cross in a church around here.
 
Good idea.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
Are you talking about making the sign of the cross and then touching your lip with thumb?

I thought that was a Filipino or Latin American tradition.
 
Kissing your thumb at the end of the sign of the cross is super common here and I’ve seen it a lot in neighboring dioceses. The majority of the parishioners are Hispanic though so maybe it’s more a cultural thing.
 
Yeah, I haven’t been to the Hispanic churches around here in a month or two and usually I don’t watch what they do at the sign of the cross when I am there.

It’s not a custom common to non-Latino US church goers.
 
Code: 
 The gesture is more than kissing the thumb.  We make a cross shape with thumb and index finger and kiss that.  I think it relates to the reverent kiss many people do with the crucifix on a Holy Rosary.
 Anyhow, during this virus I stopped, when I remember, and I stopped crossing my lips at “Lord open my lips...” before the Invitatory Psalm every morning.
(ps I am not Hispanic or Pinoy…many people from many cultures do these gestures)
 
It’s a Hispanic thing. I also once knew a woman of Italian-American heritage who would do this. It’s not a part of my spirituality. Nothing whatsoever wrong with it, though I don’t imagine a priest would do it while celebrating Mass. I could be wrong.
 
It is. It is making a cross with thumb and index finger and kissing the cross.
Though sometimes, one will bring the fingers in cross close to the lips quick without kissing it.
Not everyone Hispanic I know does though , I am thinking as I write.
I hadn’t even realized we do that sometimes but other cultures don’t. Interesting .
It is one of those things acquired and done almost assuming everyone does.
I hadn’t even noticed…I learnt it as a little child
 
Last edited:
Buks said:
IMO this practice of touching the lips should no longer be done in church
Click to expand...
IMO your sentiment seems to capture a ruthless assault on devotion and faith, with bounds that seem to find no end. Does it also offend you when people kiss the Crusifix of their Rosary, when crossing themselves with it? Nevermind… I don’t think that I really want to know.

That is my thought.
 
Last edited:
Tis_Bearself said:
It must be common in some culture or part of USA that I don’t visit much, then, because like I said, I’ve not seen it.
Click to expand...
It is extremely common here (west coast). Almost universal among Hispanics. Others do it as well, especially those in largely Hispanic parishes and regions. If you see everyone else doing it, that’s how you learn to make the sign of the cross as well.
 
I don’t get out to the west coast much. Next time I go to the two Hispanic churches here, I’m going to watch the people and see if they do it.
 
Buks said:
The practice of adding to the sign of the cross is widespread. During the pandemic, IMO this practice of touching the lips should no longer be done in church, where the person will then touch the pew, kneeler, door knob, etc., with even the tiniest trace of saliva on their thumb.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Who’s in church these days? If you kiss your thumb, where will you then put it? I don’t think we should change almost two centuries of practices when we do go back to worshipping inside our churches, especially when we keep our hands to “ourselvies,” but this disease debacle only reinforces my reticence at touching others during any aspect of the Mass.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top