Why do we use only the right hand?

[Alma]

A young left-handed friend of mine asked me why she may make the sign of the cross with her left hand :tsktsk:
who established that it should be done with the right hand
and if there are Catholics who are allowed to use the left hand.

Answers, anyone?

¡Thanks!

Alma

 

[thistle]

A young left-handed friend of mine asked me why she may make the sign of the cross with her left hand :tsktsk:
who established that it should be done with the right hand
and if there are Catholics who are allowed to use the left hand.

Answers, anyone?

¡Thanks!

Alma

It is probably simply that the vast majority of people are right-handed.
I would not think there is anything wrong with a left-handed person making the sign of the cross with their left hand.

 

[Cagrl]

That is funny that you’re asking this because just recently my daughter(11 years) asked me the same question. When I was growing up (and I am sure it’s just a myth) but when I was growing up I was told that it was “bad” as in ( “evil” or to do with the “devil”)to do the sign of the cross with the “lefthand.” But like I said, I know that must be a myth.

But, yeah, if anyone knows the answer to this I would really like to know where it came from to do it with the right hand.

 

[VociMike]

In some older cultures, in particular Middle Eastern ones, the right hand is the “clean” hand, used for eating, touching others, etc. The left hand is the “dirty” hand, used for personal hygiene, etc. That might have something to do with it, don’t know.

 

[thann]

I think it’s just custom, not anything required.

When our pastor was out after surgery for a couple of months two years ago a Franciscan priest subbed for him. He did everything with his left hand – blessings, Sign of the Cross, etc.

One Sunday I asked him about it. His reply: “God made me left-handed!”

'thann

 

[Digitonomy]

In some older cultures, in particular Middle Eastern ones, the right hand is the “clean” hand, used for eating, touching others, etc. The left hand is the “dirty” hand, used for personal hygiene, etc. That might have something to do with it, don’t know.

Exactly. For this reason we also have other symbolism, like “the right hand of the Father.” And the word sinister, which is simply the Latin word for left, has taken on a sinister meaning.

 

[CatholicCajun]

Our Priest gives us an explanation of the parts of the Mass every Sunday, it will take him about a year to go throught the whole Mass, when he gave the explanation of the Sign of the Cross, he said that it was ok to do it with the left hand. God Bless.

 

[Karl_M]

I agree with what VociMike said. In the olden days, the right hand was for greeting, fighting, blessing, etc…

The left hand was (and still is in some cultures) considered dirty-as it was used for cleaning. There was no toilet paper in those days-use your imagination.

So anyway, that’s probably how it got started, or at least had something to do with it.

 

[bpbasilphx]

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It’s the tradition of the Church.

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If and only if they have no right hand or the right hand or arm is paralyzed.

 

[Goth_Catholic]

Exactly. For this reason we also have other symbolism, like “the right hand of the Father.” And the word sinister, which is simply the Latin word for left, has taken on a sinister meaning.

But we cross ourselves left to right while the eastern othodex (do eastern catholic’s also?) cross right to left.

 

[Alma]

I agree with what VociMike said. In the olden days, the right hand was for greeting, fighting, blessing, etc…

The left hand was (and still is in some cultures) considered dirty-as it was used for cleaning. There was no toilet paper in those days-use your imagination.

:bigyikes:

 

[silentdeb]

And, as well, perhaps it’s just one of those things we carry over from the ‘old days’. Even when I was a youngster (I’m 40 - not that old really), teachers still firmly discouraged left-handedness - I’m ambidextrous, and could write well with both hands, but my teachers from grade 3 on (around the time I was silly enough to let this ‘talent’ show in public) weren’t having any part of it.

I’ve read more than a few stories of left-handed pupils, in generations past, spending time at school with their left hand immobilized in some fashion (including having the arm tied to their body! :bigyikes: ) to force them to use their right hands.

So … in some ways, it’s evidently taking a while for the ‘left is bad’ idea to disappear!

 

[Aramis]

But we cross ourselves left to right while the eastern othodex (do eastern catholic’s also?) cross right to left.

Yes, most EC’s do right to left, perhaps all, but I can’t be certain.

And sometimes Forehead, toes, right shoulder, left shoulder.

With the hand held in the proper posture, as well. For the Ruthenians, Index, Middle, and thumb together, ring and pinkie to palm, for the Trinity, and the Two Natures, respectively.

Also, as to Right versus Left:

In heraldry:
Dexter is wearer’s right.
Sinister is Wearer’s left.

This is derived from the latin terms…

 

[thann]

<>

It’s the tradition of the Church.

<>

If and only if they have no right hand or the right hand or arm is paralyzed.

In reference to my post above, I asked the visiting left-handed priest about this. There is no tradition regarding using the right hand. It is only custom. There are no Church documents that instruct the faithful to use only the right hand, or at least the priest and I couldn’t find any. Please provide documentation.

'thann

 

[Alma]

I am left-handed myself, and as a Eucharistic Minister I always give Communion with my right hand because I would not like to make someone feel awkward. It is no big deal, because we left-handed people constitute ten percent of humanity, and as we live in a right-handed world we tend to use our right hand a lot more than right-handed people use their left hand.

I think what Karl M said makes sense. In a time when water was not readily available, people probably tried to keep one hand as clean as possible (to eat, to touch certain things they did not want to stain) and another hand for, well, everything else…
This might be the reason why we use our right hand to make the sign of the cross, and also to shake hands and to receive Communion.
I try to follow this practice of ‘saving’ one hand in Church : I take out the money from my wallet with my left hand, so as to keep my right one clean because it will touch the Body of Christ.

About what they say: not to use the left hand to make the sign of the cross because that is the hand the devil uses to sign himself, I think it is just foolishnes. I do not think he ever makes the sign of the cross!


Alma :byzsoc:

 

[jrabs]

A young left-handed friend of mine asked me why she may make the sign of the cross with her left hand :tsktsk:

Your young left handed friend may cross herself with her left hand.

Many of us lefties do as well. It’s not :tsktsk: I cringe when I hear somone be scolded for using their left hand.

After all, God created lefties. He knows we struggle at times to follow natural right handed convention.

 

[Digitonomy]

There is no tradition regarding using the right hand.'thann

It certainly is tradition. Here is a cite from ninety-some years ago, I imagine there are other more authoritative works from earlier which say the same:

At the beginning of Mass the celebrant makes the sign of the cross by placing his left hand extended under his breast; then raising his right to his forehead, which he touches with the extremities of his fingers, he says: In nomine Patris; then, touching his breast with the same hand, he says: et Filii…

It is obviously not critical to one’s faith to use the right vs the left hand, in the same way gestures, postures, sacramentals, etc are not critical. Following these is simply tradition, a helpful way to order our lives in following the Lord. The somewhat superstitious attitudes about the left vs right hands are obviously long past, but I had always assumed the tradition of using the right hand still held sway - this doesn’t seem to be the case, based on this thread. The fact that I was unaware of this change shows how unimportant that tradition probably is, or maybe just how inobservant I am.

 

[THutch04]

I try to follow this practice of ‘saving’ one hand in Church : I take out the money from my wallet with my left hand, so as to keep my right one clean because it will touch the Body of Christ.


Alma :byzsoc:

That sounds like something I’m going to start doing from now on! I’m right-handed myself, but I like the idea of keeping one hand as clean as possible because the other will be touching the Body of Christ.

 

[Leopard]

That sounds like something I’m going to start doing from now on! I’m right-handed myself, but I like the idea of keeping one hand as clean as possible because the other will be touching the Body of Christ.

When receiving Communion on the hand, both hands touch the Body of Christ. First, the Host is placed on the “throne” you form with one hand over the other, then you use the other hand to place the Host in your mouth. Taking your money out of your wallet with either hand will not make that hand unfit for receiving Communion any more than touching a doornob or steering wheel with that hand.

 

[Scarecrow]

That is funny that you’re asking this because just recently my daughter(11 years) asked me the same question. When I was growing up (and I am sure it’s just a myth) but when I was growing up I was told that it was “bad” as in ( “evil” or to do with the “devil”)to do the sign of the cross with the “lefthand.” But like I said, I know that must be a myth.

But, yeah, if anyone knows the answer to this I would really like to know where it came from to do it with the right hand.

I was told the same thing.\