L
lsfitter
Guest
I am a faith formation teacher, and you of my students asked why we do the sign of the cross from left to right. I didn’t have an answer. Does anyone know?
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
A
Aureole
Guest
Sorry, I don’t have an answer for left to right. I’ve heard that right to left is significant because our Saviour sits at the right hand of the Father. Perhaps someone can provide us the clue for left to right?
D
decn2b
Guest
Faith formation teacher!!!..whooooop whhooooooop whooooop sound the alarms sound the alarms…You aint from Iowa are you?
G
Gem
Guest
decn2b, that’s not very helpful.
lsfitter, bascially, the sign of the cross is an ancient tradition, and the exact form of it, and what was said along with it, has changed in different times and places. This site newadvent.org/cathen/13785a.htm (a good one in general) does offer a possible theological reason from ancient England for our crossing ourselves from left to right.
But what’s more important is that the cross is a symbol of Jesus’ triumph over death and that His sacrifice is the key to our salvation. And by tracing the cross on our bodies, we remind ourselves of God’s power and call His blessing upon us.
By the way, the Orthodox cross themselves in the opposite direction from right to left, but the intention is the same. Likewise, Hispanic Catholics often form a small cross with their thumb and forefinger and kiss it after crossing themselves.
Just different ways of doing the same thing.
May God bless you for teaching our next generation about Him.
Gem
lsfitter, bascially, the sign of the cross is an ancient tradition, and the exact form of it, and what was said along with it, has changed in different times and places. This site newadvent.org/cathen/13785a.htm (a good one in general) does offer a possible theological reason from ancient England for our crossing ourselves from left to right.
But what’s more important is that the cross is a symbol of Jesus’ triumph over death and that His sacrifice is the key to our salvation. And by tracing the cross on our bodies, we remind ourselves of God’s power and call His blessing upon us.
By the way, the Orthodox cross themselves in the opposite direction from right to left, but the intention is the same. Likewise, Hispanic Catholics often form a small cross with their thumb and forefinger and kiss it after crossing themselves.
Just different ways of doing the same thing.
May God bless you for teaching our next generation about Him.
Gem
C
CRW
Guest
In the Name of the Father on the head as the head of the Trinity, the son on the body, as the Body of the Church and the Holy Spirit on the right side of the heart, as the love and wisdom of the Trinity? Another one I was told: We received the Holy Spirit from the Father, through the Son, into the heart.Sorry, I don’t have an answer for left to right. I’ve heard that right to left is significant because our Saviour sits at the right hand of the Father. Perhaps someone can provide us the clue for left to right?
A
Aureole
Guest
I can only recall hearing that going from right to left was to signify Christ’s sitting at the right hand of the Father. Your explanations seem much more thorough though, not to mention theological.In the Name of the Father on the head as the head of the Trinity, the son on the body, as the Body of the Church and the Holy Spirit on the right side of the heart, as the love and wisdom of the Trinity? Another one I was told: We received the Holy Spirit from the Father, through the Son, into the heart.
D
Deacon_Ed
Guest
There are a number of reasons that will be given. The closest to being accurate derives from the parable of the sheep and the goats where the sheep were on the right and the goats on the left. We have been “moved” from the left to the right (goats to sheep) through the actions of Jesus and thus we sign ourselves that way.
Now, having said that, the real reason we sign ourselves that way (at least in the Latin Church) is that we “copy” the movements of the priest as he blesses us. He goes left, we go left…
Deacon Ed
Now, having said that, the real reason we sign ourselves that way (at least in the Latin Church) is that we “copy” the movements of the priest as he blesses us. He goes left, we go left…
Deacon Ed
A
Aureole
Guest
I like your explanation Deacon Ed, both of them really. Thanks for sharing.
H
hilde_the_dog
Guest
Yeh thanks Deacon Ed.
L
lsfitter
Guest
Thank you everyone! I shared all of your answers with my class, and they found it very interesting!
God Bless you all for responding…
Lori
God Bless you all for responding…
Lori
R
ryan88cn
Guest
yep, maybe just because Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father, therefor our Father is in the Left. Start from d leftSorry, I don’t have an answer for left to right. I’ve heard that right to left is significant because our Saviour sits at the right hand of the Father. Perhaps someone can provide us the clue for left to right?
B
blackrobe
Guest
A tidbit from history: Fr. Jean de Brebeuf, missionary to the Wendat [Huron] and one of the North American Martyrs, was a great linguist. He faced many problems translating Christian principles and doctrines into the Wendat language. For example, it is very difficult in most Native American languages to convey a term like *father *in the abstract-- as opposed to a possessive or some other grammatical form. So here is what Fr. Brebeuf came up with for the Sign of the Cross [trans. from French]:
*In the name of our Father, His Son, and their Holy Spirit. *
Brilliant and theologically rich.
JSA
*In the name of our Father, His Son, and their Holy Spirit. *
Brilliant and theologically rich.
JSA
- Status
- Not open for further replies.