Sign of the Cross

[Forest-Pine]

carol marie:

Question for my Hispanic brothers & sisters… some in our parish, after receiving communion & making the sign of the cross seem to be kissing their fingers? Is that a tradition?

I’ve always seen it done in highly ethnic circles. Only recently have I seen caucasians doing this as well. They end the sign of the cross by kissing their fingers. They sometimes follow this up by touching those fingers to the center of the chest.

I don’t know the symbology involved, but it appears to be what is talked about in the NewAdvent article on the Sign of the Cross:

Still another variant of the same holy sign may be recognized in the direction of the “Lay Folks Mass Book” (thirteenth century) that the people at the end of the Gospel should trace a cross upon the bench or wall or a book and then kiss it. It was prescribed in some early uses that the priest ascending to the altar before the Introit should first mark a cross upon the altar-cloth and then should kiss the cross so traced. **Moreover it would seem that the custom, prevalent in Spain and some other countries, according to which a man, after making the sign of the cross in the ordinary way, apparently kisses his thumb, has a similar origin. The thumb laid across the forefinger forms an image of the cross to which the lips are devoutly pressed. **

 

[Brian_C]

Hah, I was watching some Tivo’d Web of Faith episodes and got a little more clarification on Sign of the Cross while passing churches. Fathers Trigilio and Levis were answering a question about it. They said most every Catholic did this before Vatican II. They said it lost favor b/c it was seen by many as a a sign of Catholic “triumphalism” (sort of boasting about Catholicism b/c of it’s stature).

Anyway, they said it was common where they were from in PA and implied it was common everywhere. They said it was a wonderful feeling to be on the bus and have everyone either making the sign of the cross or tipping their hat every time they passed a Catholic Church

Brian_C:

I live in Louisiana and most of our Catholics are French in origin and we all make the sign of the cross passing in front of a Catholic Church. That brings up another point…I’ve never seen a Catholic do it in front of a protestant church…

 

[answers]

Brian C what part of Louisiana are you from?

I’m also in RCIA I was told that we make the sign of the cross before and after we pray, And when we pass in front of the Catholic Church b/c of the the Euchrtis that is in the tabernical(please forgive me for my spelling)

 

[SP38]

Orionthehunter:

First and foremost, the Sign of the Cross is a prayer that says affirms belief in the Trinity, acknowledgement that this is our God, and that what we are about to do, say or pray is done in the name of the great I AM.

Secondly, it is an acknowledgement that we are both a creature of bodily form and spirit form (as opposed to angels that are a creature of only spirit form) and that physical act conforms our body with our spirit and mind. BTW, this is why we have prayer postures (kneeling or standing) or do things like genuflect (conform our body to the reverence in our mind and spirit).

I was NEVER taught this in 12 years of Catholic school. Why not?!

 

[Orionthehunter]

SP38:

I was NEVER taught this in 12 years of Catholic school. Why not?!

Maybe you were but you weren’t as ready to understand it as you are now so it went over your head then. I’m grateful that I’m learning so much as this stage of my life that I missed when I was younger as I feel I have a better grasp of the issues. And maybe you are a victim of the poor catechesis so evident in the American Church. And maybe (no likely), you never had someone so intelligently explain it to you. Just kidding.

 

[Erich]

Orionthehunter:

Pablo A.:

Do you make the Sign of the Cross when you pass in front of a church?

I do, and i think it is a way of say hi to Jesus and keep him in my thoughts…

I was wondering if this is a latin american custom or if is done worldwide…

My farmer German-heritage Grandfather always made a point to drive by the Church and make the sign of cross whenever he came to town and on his way back to the farm. When I was early in grade school, I asked him what he was doing. He said, “I don’t have time to stop in today and pray but I want God to know that I’m thinking of him.” That little witness has had a profound impact on me. I have recalled that little moment almost 40 years ago as many times as any other experience with my Grandpa (he died 32 years ago).

I have heard a Lutheran I know explain how, when driving past the local Cathedral on his way to and from work (it’s within a block or so of the highway he travels and is clearly visible) tips his cap and says to himself something along the lines of, “Hi, boss!”

If he’s not wearing a cap, he’ll still make the motion as if he were.

 

[Erich]

carol marie:

Question for my Hispanic brothers & sisters… some in our parish, after receiving communion & making the sign of the cross seem to be kissing their fingers? Is that a tradition?

I also know someone who makes the Sign of the Cross by touching his head, chest, left and right shoulders, and chest again… symbolizing the wounds Jesus received during His crucifixion (crown of thorns, nails in His feet and hands, and the lance in His side).

Wonder how widespread that tradition may be (he is of Italian extraction)?

 

[Steadfast]

Luther’s Instruction for Morning Prayer:

In the morning, as soon as you get out of bed, you are to make the sign of the holy cross

and say: “Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. If you wish, you may recite this little prayer as well:

I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have protected me through the night from all harm and danger and I ask that you would also protect me today from sin and every danger, so that my life and actions may please you. Into your hands I commend my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.

After singing a hymn, or whatever else may serve your devotion, you are to go to your work joyfully.

 

[O.S.Luke]

I was about to say… Catholics and E.O.'s don’t have a monopoly on the sign of the cross.

O+

 

[imroc]

Lukelion:

Sorry to say, but a lot of Catholics, when pressed, cannot tell you why we make the sign of the cross.

Lukelion

I don’t really think it is all that sad, depending on WHO we refer to. A pious old lady living out her faith, without being able to defend her purpose of doing such is actually very beautiful. All should be able to defend their faith, but there is a lovely pious group of people who we must appreciate.

I do understand what you are saying though. The people who you are implying are very vulnerable, I must admit.

 

[JoeyWarren]

exoflare:

I’ve never heard of it, myself. Maybe it is a Latin American custom? I don’t see anything unusual about it, though. Sometimes I do the sign of the cross at pretty random times myself.

It’s a Hispanc thing as far as I know. My wife who is Puerto Rican does it whenever she passes a Catholic church. She can’t tell me why she does it other than that her mother taught her that you are suppose to do it. She was also taught when you drive on Parish property, you suppose to turn off any music playing in your car if the music is not faith oriented. She’s pretty adamant about these two issues. Strange traditions have developed

 

[AnnaRose]

From Bert Ghezzi’s book The Sign of the Cross:

The sign of the cross is: a confession of faith; a renewal of baptism; a mark of discipleship; an acceptance of suffering; a defense against the devil; and a victory over self-indulgence.

When you make the sign, you are professing a mini version of the creed – you are professing your belief in the Father, and in the Son and in the Holy Spirit. When you say the words and pray in someone’s name you are declaring their presence and coming into their presence – that’s how a name is used in Scripture.

As a sacramental, it’s a renewal of the sacrament of baptism; when you make it you say again, in effect, “I died with Christ and rose to new life.” The sign of the cross in baptism is like a Christian circumcision, which united Gentile converts to the Jewish nation. The sign links you to the body of Christ, and when you make it you remember your joining to the body with Christ as the head.

The sign of the cross is a mark of discipleship. Jesus says in Luke 9:23, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” The word that the Fathers of the Church used for the sign of the cross is a Greek word that is the same as what a slave owner put on a slave, a shepherd put on a sheep and a general put on a soldier – it’s a declaration that I belong to Christ.

Self-denial is not just giving up little things; to be a disciple you are under Christ’s leadership and you don’t belong to yourself. By doing the sign of the cross, you’re saying to the Lord, “I want to obey you; I belong to you. You direct all my decisions. I will always be obedient to God’s law, Christ’s teachings and the Church.”

When suffering comes, the sign of the cross is a sign of acceptance. It’s remembering that Jesus became a man and suffered for us and that we participate in Christ’s suffering. The sign of the cross says, “I am willing to embrace suffering to share in Christ’s suffering.”

When you’re suffering, when you’re feeling like God is not there, the sign of the cross brings him there and declares his presence whether you feel it. It is a way of acknowledging him at that time of trial.

One of the main teachings of the early Church Fathers is that the sign of the cross is a declaration of defense against the devil. When you sign yourself, you are declaring to the devil, “Hands off. I belong to Christ; he is my protection.” It’s both an offensive and defensive tool.

I’ve found that the sign of the cross is a way to put to death self-indulgence – those big problems we have, the stubborn things we can’t get rid of. The Church Fathers say if you are angry, full of lust, fearful, emotional or grappling with fleshly problems, make the sign when tempted and it will help dispel the problem.

I began to make it to gain control with a problem with anger. Signing myself is a way of destroying the anger, putting on patient behavior, imitating Jesus’ practice of virtue.

 

[Milliardo]

I don’t know if this has been asked before, but do you think that the old form (right over left instead left over right that we do now) might be put back?

 

[jmcdzzz]

Sometimes I hesitate to make the sign of the cross in public (remember–I live in GA!) because I don’t want people to think I’m trying to show off how pious I am… I don’t want people to be put off and think it’s just a show. But I guess the right thing to do would be to not worry what my Baptist neighbors might think, and just do it for God. :getholy:

I understand this completely. I just try to remember that a lot of the Protestants in my area (I know this cuz I was one not long ago) make a regular custom of screaming AMEN during church! I suspect it’s a common thing in Georgia too-probably even more than in Michigan where I am from. I can understand hearing something that strikes a cord, but I wonder how many who do this are inwardly saying, “Great speaker,” rather than “to God be the Glory.”

As far as I’m concerned, praying without signing is no more publicly visible than not signing. Ask any waitress. They know who’s praying. You can often see them hanging back to keep from interrupting even if people are trying to make it as invisible as possible.

 

[zaffiroborant]

The sign of the cross is not over the right to the left. It is,
Forehead, heart, left shoulder, right shoulder. That is the
way I was taught, and have always done it. check this out:

newadvent.org/cathen/13785a.htm

fisheaters.com//sign.html

This is the way I was taught too, but recently we had a Mass of Explanation and we were told it’s forehead, belly, left shoulder, right shoulder. The belly symbolizing Christ being born of the Virgin Mary.

This makes for a robust sign of the cross in a packed church.

 

[RLT]

Moreover it would seem that the custom, prevalent in Spain and some other countries, according to which a man, after making the sign of the cross in the ordinary way, apparently kisses his thumb, has a similar origin. The thumb laid across the forefinger forms an image of the cross to which the lips are devoutly pressed.

This is how I was taught. I grew up within American parishes but I was raised in a Spanish Catholic tradition (Puerto Rican).

 

[lynnareyno]

I also make the sign of the cross when I see or hear an ambulance or an accident. I have always done this(many decades). I don’t remember who taught me to do this. I consider the sign of the cross a prayer for the people in the accident or ambulance. Sometimes I will just trace the cross on my forehead.
Bur my meaning is clearly to ask God to help those people in need at the moment.

 

[BamaRider]

OP asked-

Is it just me, or do other Catholics agree that it is sad when other Christians deny the Sign of the Cross?

Maybe I’m wrong for thinking this, but I want the Sign Of The Cross to remain uniquely Catholic. It is my hope other Christians do NOT adopt one of the defintivie signs of our Faith.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

In contemplation of the blessed Trinity, I begin by touching my forehead, in the name of the father, who is in heaven and Jesus the head of the Catholic church, to which I am part of his body on earth, To which I love God with all my mind,

then to the center of my chest the heart, in the name of the Son, which is my body, representing the body of Jesus Christ incarnate, to whom I love God with all my heart,

Then from left shoulder to right shoulder, In the name of the Holy Spirit, Where there is no division between east and west in the body of Jesus Christ, and where I love God with all my soul and strength.

This simple sign of the cross signify’s the indeluable mark from our baptism, on our soul, that not even the angels or death can harm us no more.“O,death where is thou sting”

 

[gcnuss]

OP asked-

Maybe I’m wrong for thinking this, but I want the Sign Of The Cross to remain uniquely Catholic. It is my hope other Christians do NOT adopt one of the defintivie signs of our Faith.

BamaRider,

At the risk of sounding combative, I would like to suggest that the sign of the cross is not the property of the Catholic Church. It is, indeed, the symbol of all Christians. What disturbs me are the many people who will not make the sign of the cross because they consider the practice as “too Catholic.”