Making the Sign of the Cross when passing Eastern Catholic or Orthodox Churches

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Ghoti

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I make the Sign when I (knowingly) pass a Catholic Church, as a sign of respect and worship to the Real Presence.

Since the Orthodox Churches also have the Real Presence, I Sign when I pass them as well.

This may seem a silly question, but I ask in earnest:

When I sign in front of an Eastern church, should I Sign in the Eastern fashion (right to left shoulder), or continue in the Latin fashion (t’other way)? Because, if I were *inside *the Church, I would be expected to Cross myself in the Eastern fashion, yes? (i.e., when not in Rome… :D)

PS. As it is, I generally do it Latin-wise, being Latin rite.
 
I would say do it how you normally do it.

It’s also a pious custom to bless yourself when you pass a cemetary.
 
Hmm. I do it the Eastern way when passing a Eastern church. I never really put any conscious thought in to it, I guess. I suppose subconciously I follow the reasoning that you put forth, that if I were inside the church itself I would cross myself in the same was as everyone else.

Then again, I also bring it to my lips before resting my hand, as is the Latin American way of doing it. I asked a Ukrainian Catholic priest about it once and he said that while it’s not the way that the Ukrainians do it, there were members of his parish of Latino origins who do the same thing, while signing right to left (people who had switched rites, I guess? I’ve never met a Latino Ukrainian Catholic!). He didn’t seem too concerned about it, as the intention and meaning of the action is the same no matter what.
 
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