R
reff
Guest
Is it typical to make the triple sign of the cross at times other than the before the gospel reading? Is this mostly a hispanic custom?
- Status
T
Trishie
Guest
Aside from its use prior to the gospel, I’ve never seen it done anywhere in Australia.
The crosses on forehead, mouth, and heart, accompany a silent prayer (as far as I learned), “God be in my mind, upon my lips,and in my heart.” This being so it is certainly a good prayer to take into daily life.
Bless you!
The crosses on forehead, mouth, and heart, accompany a silent prayer (as far as I learned), “God be in my mind, upon my lips,and in my heart.” This being so it is certainly a good prayer to take into daily life.
Bless you!
B
BSHoop96
Guest
I’ve never seen it anyway but prior to the gospel, either. I was told a slightly different prayer. “May these words be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart”.
D
danielsisk619
Guest
here in Southern California I only see people make a small sign of the cross on there foreheads, lips and heart. I see everyone doing this Hispanic as well as the rest of us.
If you meant making the full sign of the cross, we don’t do it here.
If you meant making the full sign of the cross, we don’t do it here.
M
Monsterkittie
Guest
Here in South Texas (or at least along the border) we do a triple-small then large-sign of the cross.
The prayer that accompanies it is:
“Por la señal de la santa cruz” (small cross on forehead)
“De nuestros enemigos” (small cross on lips)
“Libranos Señor Dios Padre” (small cross over center of chest or heart)
“En en nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espiriu Santo, Amen”
(big sign of the cross).
(By the sign of the Holy Cross, From our enemies, deliver us Lord God, Father, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.)
Before the gospel we usually just do the signs of the cross without the prayer. My mom uses the full prayer as a blessing for my dad before he goes to work every morning and for me when I do get to see her.
The prayer that accompanies it is:
“Por la señal de la santa cruz” (small cross on forehead)
“De nuestros enemigos” (small cross on lips)
“Libranos Señor Dios Padre” (small cross over center of chest or heart)
“En en nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y del Espiriu Santo, Amen”
(big sign of the cross).
(By the sign of the Holy Cross, From our enemies, deliver us Lord God, Father, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.)
Before the gospel we usually just do the signs of the cross without the prayer. My mom uses the full prayer as a blessing for my dad before he goes to work every morning and for me when I do get to see her.
J
Jimdandy
Guest
M
Monsterkittie
Guest
On a side note, I’m wondering how old your kids were. My friend’s daughter picked it up by watching Grandma do it, plus the way she would be blessed with holy water after mass…
So when four-year-old Briana started doing it on her own, she would get her little fingers together, dip them in holy water, then proceed to wave her clutched fingers in front of her face, loudly whispering “pshuu pshuu pshuu pshuu pshuu…” as far as she understood, like Grandma…
Cutest thing I ever saw!!
J
Jimdandy
Guest
My CCD children range from 10 yrs to 14 yrs.
Many were kissing their thumb, then touching their forehead and then their chest while half-genuflecting with a bob of the head in front of our Lord during adoration.
Others were doing assorted variations of the sign of the Cross.
I just wanted to teach them the words from their tradition and the movements of a proper sign of the Cross, in reverence of our Lord.
Many were kissing their thumb, then touching their forehead and then their chest while half-genuflecting with a bob of the head in front of our Lord during adoration.
Others were doing assorted variations of the sign of the Cross.
I just wanted to teach them the words from their tradition and the movements of a proper sign of the Cross, in reverence of our Lord.
T
Traditional_Ang
Guest
Jim Dandy:
The kissing of the thumb is symbolically kissing the Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
If done before the Gospel (Making the sign of the cross over the forehead, over the lips and over the heart):
“May the Gospel be in my Mind.
May the Gospel be on my Lips.
May the Gospel be in my Heart.”
Following that immediately with the full Sign of the Cross is an embrace of the Cross of Christ and of one’s own cross. Remember, “Those who are crucified with Christ will also be likewise raised with Christ.”
Many of the Eastern Fathers at the Council of Nicea reminded the other Bishops how they constantly reminded themselves of Trinity and of Christ’s Divinity and Humanity when they made the Sign of the Cross - They took their thumbs and brought them up against the forefinger and index fingers of their right hands while keeping the two other fingers together and made one “Sign” (Person) for the Father, one “Sign” for the Son and one “Sign” for the Holy Spirit, starting with the forehead, touching the belly button, and then the RIGHT shoulder followed by the left…
Don’t be so adamant about the proper sign of the cross - Just make sure the kids do whatever they do REVERENTLY with HOLY FEAR and that they don’t just slap it together or dash through it as an afterthought.
Your Brother in Christ, Michael
B
BlueRain
Guest
J
Jimdandy
Guest
Yes, I do know all of that. I was speaking of a particular way the Hispanic children were trying to make the sign of the Cross in imitation of others. I wanted to instruct them in the correct way of the triple cross.
I did teach them also the above to so at the reading of the gospel. Some make a cross with their forefinger and thumb before kissing.
Children appreciate knowing “why” something is being done.
If I were instructing 5 or 6 year olds it would be different.
P
patrick457
Guest
Monsterkittie;3766828:
That is also the prayer that was taught to me by my grandmother, but in Tagalog.
“Ang tanda ng Santa Krus” (cross on forehead)
“Ang ipag-adya mo sa amin,” (cross on lips)
“Panginoon naming Diyos, sa mga kaaway namin.” (cross on breast)
“Sa ngalan ng Ama, at ng Anak, at ng Espiritu Santo. Amen.” (big Sign of the Cross)
(By the sign of the Holy Cross, deliver us, O Lord our God, from our enemies. In the name of the Father…)
B
benedictgal
Guest
Actually, last night I was watching an old rerun of “Web of Faith” on EWTN when this question came up. According to Fr. John Trigilio, the GIRM makes a note of the priest and/or deacon doing this before the proclamation of the Gospel. However, Fr. Trigilio said that in the Ceremonial for Bishops, a note is indicated that as the priest and/or deacon is making this gesture, so, too, do the bishop and the faithful.
M
Milliardo
Guest
It would be wonderful if Catholics can make the sign of the Cross the way the Orthodox does, especially with how the hand is:
i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll171/Milliardo_2008/Hand.jpg?t=1212806407
That’s my hand, btw.
N
NMJenny
Guest
In my mostly Hispanic parish here in west central New Mexico, the majority of the people make the sign of the cross with the thumb and forefinger in the form of a cross, and then kiss their thumb–I find the symbolism beautiful, and find myself copying them…
R
rosebudsal
Guest
I’m in Northern NM and the only people I’ve ever seen making a triple sign of the cross are the Mexican immigrants. When I was a kid I was taught to kiss my thumb at the end, most everyone in my parish does, including my priest, but we’re all Hispanic. However, we never learned/practiced the three crossings you talked about in your OP. I’ve only seen it because we have a lot of immigrants in my parish.In my mostly Hispanic parish here in west central New Mexico, the majority of the people make the sign of the cross with the thumb and forefinger in the form of a cross, and then kiss their thumb–I find the symbolism beautiful, and find myself copying them…
(As I reread this post, I didn’t meant to emphasize a Hispanic vs Mexican thing, but the newer Mexican immigrants seem to have different customs and traditions, than the older families who settled here hundreds of years ago who seem to have retained more traditions and customs that are closer to those of Spain.)
T
tjfitz
Guest
I seem to remember that the celebrant said “Purify my mind, my lips and my heart that I may worthily proclaim Thy holy gospel.”
I also thought it was only the celebrant’s place to do the triple-signing, because I don’t think the people in the pews used to imitate the gesture.
I also thought it was only the celebrant’s place to do the triple-signing, because I don’t think the people in the pews used to imitate the gesture.
A
adstrinity
Guest
Why would it be wonderful?
We CAN make the sign of the cross that way, I do, personally. It’s not as though we don’t have the ability.
P
patrick457
Guest
It’s perfectly legal that Catholics cross themselves in forma Orientalis. It’s not like we Catholics are not allowed to do so (personally, I cross in the Eastern way in private often, perhaps an influence by listening to too much Byzantine chantIt would be wonderful if Catholics can make the sign of the Cross the way the Orthodox does, especially with how the hand is:
i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll171/Milliardo_2008/Hand.jpg?t=1212806407
That’s my hand, btw.
)Now, I think the question is: Is it acceptable to cross oneself like the Old Believers do (same as the Eastern manner, yet with two instead of three fingers, the index and middle)
T
tjfitz
Guest
Years ago, after a Mass my family and I attended in a western North Dakota town, two beautiful young women who must have been sisters, they had the same nearly-white blonde hair, got out of their pew, and genuflected in the aisle toward the altar and made, I believe, three signs of the cross, but “backwards”. That is, crossing from right shoulder to left shoulder. I think they were Ukranian-rite Catholics who are numerous in that part of the State.
- Status