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ConstantineTG
Guest
How is it done? Do you sign competely then touch the ground? Or do you sign forhead, heart, ground, shoulders?
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Gregory_I
Guest
Forhead, ground, shoulders. The ground becomes part of the sign. Takes the place of the heart.
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puzzleannie
Guest
only if you are celebrating after a touchdown
is this a trick question?
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josephdaniel29
Guest
Not necessarily.
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ciero
Guest
May I ask where you came up with that one?
The Greeks touch the floor then cross themselves, the Russians cross themselves then touch the floor. So the floor touching is either before or after the sign of the cross depending on where your from
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josephdaniel29
Guest
I’ve also never heard of a metania being performed in the way Gregory I described. Of course this is a wide variety of traditions so who knows?May I ask where you came up with that one?
The Greeks touch the floor then cross themselves, the Russians cross themselves then touch the floor. So the floor touching is either before or after the sign of the cross depending on where your from
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Gregory_I
Guest
When I was considering conversion to Orthodoxy I went to St. George greek Orthodox Church in Bakersfield. Father Joseph presides there. Every EVERY person there performed a metania by first touching their forhead then bending at the waist til their hand touched either the floor or their feet, and then continued onto the shoulders, right to left.
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josephdaniel29
Guest
Perhaps that’s the best advice for the OP…as they say, when in Rome…
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Aramis
Guest
I’ve seen it done Forehead, ground, forehead, chest, right left by a few priests. One was OCA, the others Ruthenian.I’ve also never heard of a metania being performed in the way Gregory I described. Of course this is a wide variety of traditions so who knows?
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Apollos
Guest
Be wary of Orthodox customs.
The sober Roman way is forehead, xiphus, (look it up), left/right shoulders.
I however, follow the Carthusian method, which basically amounts to forehead, privates, left/right shoulderpads. Look up the videos.
My philosphy is that a sign of the cross is sufficient if it covers anywhere you can be shot and die from. Thus a mini sign on the forehead is enough, and a sign that covers your soft parts is enough too, or one that just measures out your breastbone no higher than your throat.
What it means is more important than how it looks.
The sober Roman way is forehead, xiphus, (look it up), left/right shoulders.
I however, follow the Carthusian method, which basically amounts to forehead, privates, left/right shoulderpads. Look up the videos.
My philosphy is that a sign of the cross is sufficient if it covers anywhere you can be shot and die from. Thus a mini sign on the forehead is enough, and a sign that covers your soft parts is enough too, or one that just measures out your breastbone no higher than your throat.
What it means is more important than how it looks.
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5Loaves
Guest
When you asked in previous threads about the sign of the cross I suggested
We reach to the floor most of the time at my parish, sometimes touching it, sometimes making a prostration. Again, this Reverence can be influenced by the presence of pews which the churches I go to don’t have,…In my experience I see variation…The “The Sign of the Cross” section of “Church Etiquette” on the St Elias Ukrainian Catholic Church, Brampton, Ontario web site seems to have a general set of “rubrics” that are similar to the churches I attend. (They have a wonderful website I think.)
The Jordanville Prayerbook has a section at the end “How One Should Pray in Church” which details about crossing one’s self, prostrations etc.
except the Greek Orthodox, but I’m not there often and when I am there are usually about 5 of the faithful in the pews so it’s easy to stand in the aisle for Reverences. If I remember correctly that teaching in the Jordanville Prayerbook emphasizes never to bend during the signing of the Cross, only after that is completed. So, again, variation in both teaching and practice. I also have not seen what Gregory I described but like most things I’m not watching what others are doing so someone from Father Joseph’s church in Bakersfield could well visit and make the sign of the Cross this way and I’d not be aware of it.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
The St. Elias website wasn’t clear about the touching the ground part whether its one of the two “options” I asked. That is why I asked again. I don’t know if it was part of the signing of the cross or if it was done after. When I see our altar boy do it, it seems he only crosses forehead-chest then ground (or forehead then ground) before shoulders. Which adds to my confusion. From the St. Elias website I would have concluded its cross first then ground.When you asked in previous threads about the sign of the cross I suggested
We reach to the floor most of the time at my parish, sometimes touching it, sometimes making a prostration. Again, this Reverence can be influenced by the presence of pews which the churches I go to don’t have,
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ciero
Guest
Maybe the alter boy is doing it wrong.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
He’s the son of the subdeacon so he would have been taught well. Maybe I’m just misinterpreting what he’s doing because he’s doing it quite quickly.
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ciero
Guest
Oh boy the son of the subdeacons! He must be the expert, do what he does. And for the Christmas fast we do it standing on our heads.
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Apotheoun
Guest
In the video at the link below the Patriarch of Moscow makes the Lesser Metania while venerating an icon of the Theotokos. He does so in the traditional Byzantine Slav manner, i.e., by making two prostrations before venerating the icon, and one after completing his act of veneration.
Lesser Metania
P.S. - Note that he makes a full sign of the cross before touching the ground.
Lesser Metania
P.S. - Note that he makes a full sign of the cross before touching the ground.
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Sorry I didn’t elaborate. I know the subdeacon, he’s very well educated in the faith and matches it with passion.Oh boy the son of the subdeacons! He must be the expert, do what he does. And for the Christmas fast we do it standing on our heads.
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Emma_T
Guest
I would simply ask your parish priest what the correct way is. I’m sure he would be happy to help you; or ask other folks who have been going to your church for a long time.
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lynnabelone
Guest
Sign of the cross can you lead to success if you follow him from your heart you know god is always behind us to hold if we are tired or break or fall down , he was always behind to hold us and give us some support.
twitter.com/Leadanswer
twitter.com/Leadanswer
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Thanks! Of course I will, I just sometimes am impatient and at the same time I know people here at CAF are very helpful
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