How many Christians make the Sign of the Cross?

Question

How many make the sign of cross before praying or for any other reason? Making the sign of the cross means tracing the cross with your fingers over your forehead or body.

It was used by first century Christians to identify each other during the Roman persecution.

Catholic and Orthodox Christians do, does anyone else?

whynot ask don: The sign of the cross came from first century Christians, not a cult. By the way, there was no Bible back then.

tryingtohelp: It was invented by Christians for identification, not Jews or Romans. It is used to bless oneself and a sign of respect when passing by a church. It is affirming the Christian faith.

Answer 1

I don't; what would be the point of doing so.

"You must not make for yourselves an idol that looks like anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the water below the land."

Answer 2

Most Christians do not employ the sign of the cross. It is a Roman Catholic practice. The original meaning of it was to say, "Crucify him!" When the Roman governor asked people if a man should be crucified, he could not hear what everyone was replying, because it was so loud and he was so far away from some of the people. So if someone made the sign of the cross, it told the governor that they wanted the accused to be crucified. I disagree with the practice, because of its original use. Have you ever noticed how it is used to ward off evil, yet some Catholics make the sign while passing their churches? I find that interesting. God bless you!

Answer 3

The Latin Cross was originally rejected by Christians because it was a pagan symbol. Some earlier uses of this symbol was as a scepter of Apollo; with the phrase "Ptolemy the Savior"; and a sign of life to come in the Egyptian religon of Sarapis.

The New Testament sometimes refers to Jesus as being hanged on a tree, not a cross (Acts 5:30; 1 Peter 2:24), linking this imagery to tree-slain savior figures of Krishna, Marsyas, Odin, and Dodonian Zeus.

This version of the cross is not an inappropriate symbol for a church with a male-oriented structure, for in early societies it was a phallic symbol.

The Greek Cross was one of the original forms used by Christians. (The Latin cross was not in popular usage until the eighth and ninth centuries.) Before Christianity, the Greek cross was an emblem of Hecate as the Goddess of Crossroads. The vertical was male, the horizontal was female - making it a plus sign of one-plus-the-other.


Sorry that just makes me laugh. So making the sign of the cross is a strange thing to do, knowing what it stands for.

Answer 4

I'm not sure about all Anglicans, but a good deal of Episcopalians make the cross. And, it's not just a purely Catholic thing, it's really just a sign of devotion. If it doesn't mean anything to you, don't do it.

And, why all of the Catholic blasting? They're Christians too, whether you like it or not.

Answer 5

I am a Baptist Christian and I have never seen anyone do it except for Catholics.

Answer 6

I thought only Roman Catholics did it but I could be wrong.

Answer 7

I agree. I thought only Roman Catholics do that... I don't and I'm Baptist.

Answer 8

All who believe in gods Crucifixion to save people from evil.

Answer 9

Just CATHOLICS make the sign! TRUE CHRISTIANS do not.

That was a VERY LATE invention by the Catholic CULT!

Answer 10

I'm a Christian, and I dont