How do you make the sign of the cross?

Question

As one moves through the Sign, one recites, at the forehead, “Lord “; at the stomach, “Jesus Christ”, on the right shoulder, “Son of God”; and on the left shoulder, “have mercy on us” followed by a bow(to the ground during great lent).

Joining two fingers together-the index and the middle finger-and extending them, with the middle finger slightly bent, represents the two natures of Christ: His Divinity and His Humanity. He is God according to His divinity and Man according to His hummanity, perfect in both natures. The index finger represents His divinity, while the middle finger repersents His hummanity, since He came down from on high and saved those below. The bending of the middle finger is interperted to mean that He bowed the heavens and came down upon the earth for our salvation.

And thus it proper to make the Sign of the Cross and to bless; thus was it laid down and ordained by the holy fathers; such is the power of the Sign of the Cross, with which we faithful sign ourselves when we pray, confessing sacramentally the Saviour’s economy: His being begotten of God the Father before all creation; His decent to earth from on high; His Crucifixion; and His second coming, which is the sealing of His entire philanthropic dipensation concerning us.

The sign of the cross must be made according to the rules, in the form of a cross; and the right hand, that is, the dextral hand, must be used in crossing oneself, with the thumb and the two lower fingers joined together, and the extended index finger joined to the middle finger, slightly bent; thus should prelates [and] priests give their blessing and thus should men cross themselves. . . . It befits all Orthodox Christians to hold their hand thus, and to make the sign of the cross upon their face with two fingers, and to bow, as we said before. If anyone should fail to give his blessing with two fingers, as Christ did, or should fail to make the sign of the cross with two fingers, may he be accursed.. . ., Chapter 31 of The Council Of The Hundred Chapters.

Answer 1

i always thought it was spectacles, testicles, wallet, and watch.

Answer 2

There are different ways of making the Sign of the Cross, they usually vary among Christian denominations.

Before the Great Schism of 1054 the Sign of the Cross was gestured by firstly making a triangular shape with the tips of the thumb, middle finger and index finger (this symbolized the Holy Trinity). Then a motion was made, first to the forehead then to the right shoulder, the left shoulder and finally the stomach. This method is still used by the Orthodox Church. The Catholic church however changed the motion after the Schism to mirror the way the Pope blessed people.

A Sign of the Cross can also be made with a hand signal (generally in the Orthodox Church). For example, raising your hand and having two or three fingers outstretched symbolizes the Trinity and the way of crossing. These types of gestures are often used among Slavonic countries as nationalistic salutes.

Answer 3

Dear Sir,
Excuse me but this is the Roman Catholic usage and not the Greek Orthodox. We make the sign of the Cross with 3 fingers, each of them represents each face of the Holy Trinity.The Roman Church adopted the 2 fingers only in the 11th century as a part of the "filioque" doctrine (and from the Son), that is that the Holy Spirit comes also from the Son of God (Jesus)

Answer 4

I certainly don't to it the Eastern way as you described. As a Roman Catholic, I do fingertips to forehead, stomach, left shoulder, right shoulder.


As a person of Hispanic descent, we also tend to form a cross with our thumb and index finger, and then kiss said cross at the end of the Sign of the Cross. However, the most correct method is to have the first two fingers and thumb touching to symbolize the Trinity.

Now that I've taken a second look, it looks like you've mushed two different ways into one explanation.

Answer 5

Hello dear!
Well, you get a star as making the sign of the cross, a star with 5 Alphas is signed, as the palm starts from hanging down, goes to forehead, right shoulder, left shoulder, and return to its original position. Of course this is true only the way Orthodox make the sign! The others have lost the meaning and the way! Thus, the Orthodox make two signs: that of the cross and that of a star!

Answer 6

With the hand touch the forehead "The Father",touch the heart "the Son", the shoulders " and the Holy Spirit".

Answer 7

Wow that is more complicated than I thought, lucky for me, I dont have to worry about it...

The cross was how Jesus saved me by the shedding of His blood and I like to look at too remember, but many people will killed on a cross the point of it was that it was a common way to die for a criminal - however our JESUS DID NO WRONG - and died for all our wrongs so we can go to Heavan and be with God forever...

Answer 8

r u Catholic or Orthodoxes? + In the name of the Father on the forhead and of the Son stomach and of the Holy on the lift shoulder and Spirit on the right. and then Amen.

Answer 9

The cross is a symbol of the number 5...

It is also a symbol for the horizontal division of land and sky, as well as the vertical division of linear time/space...

It is also a symbol of growth, like a tree...

I don't know what YOU are talking about though, it sounds weird.

Answer 10

I found an article on Wikipedia.

Answer 11

i don't see anything about the doing the sign of the cross in the bible. if it's not in the taught in the bible, i won't dwell into it. May God's name be praised!