I tabulated a small list ot check the idea of 52 crosses in the missal- I don’t think I left anything out, but its quite possible I have. Please let me know.
Signs by the priest on himself: ( 10 or 14-depending on the reckoning regarding the Gospel)
In nomine….
Adiutorium nostrum
Indulgentiam……
Introit
Cum Sancto Spritu (Gloria)
The Gospel (counting it as 3?)
The Last Gospel (again 3?)
Et vitam venturi (Credo)
Benedictus qui venit
Omni benedictione caelesti (Canon)
Signs made over others (3/4)
Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus….
(Second Indulgentiam…where customary)
Deacon before the Gospel – Dominus sit in corde tuo
Subdeacon after Epistle
Signs over objects (6)
Incense – ab illo benedicaris
Signing of the Gospel
Signing the altar at the Last Gospel
Deus qui humanae – water at the Offertory
Veni Sanctificator – over the host and chalice
Incense- offertory – Per intercessionem
Canon (20 totally) - Te igitur (3 times), Quam oblationem (5 times), Qui Pridie and Simili modo (2 times), Unde et memores (5 times), Supplices Te (2 times), Per quem (3 times),
Signs with the consecrated Elements (10 totally)
Per ipsum (5 times)
Pax Domini (3 times)
Communion of the Host
Communion of the Chalice
Signs with objects (3 totally)
With the paten at the Offertory
With the chalice at the Offertory
With the paten at the Libera nos (“da propitious”)
Counting the each Gospel as 3 signs instead of 1, assuming that it is a festal Mass at which the Gloria AND Credo * are said, and assuming there are communicants with the Second Confiteor being said:
this makes 53 at a low Mass, 55 at a Sung Mass with incense, 56 at a Solemn High Mass (60 pre-1962 rubrics)
- the Credo especially is limited by the 1962 rubrics to higher ranking feasts
At a low Mass of the dead it would be: 45 (with Absolution over the catafalque) or 49 (without absolution), Sung Mass with incense, 47 (with absolution), 51 (without)
