Who should Christians 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

The first recorded reference to the Sign is found in the writings of Tertullian (c. 160-225 A.D.), who says that Christians "at every forward step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes, when we bathe, when we sit at table... in all the ordinary actions of daily life, we trace upon the forehead the sign".

The Sign of the Cross has minor variants as well: it can be made in the air to bless objects, and it may trace a very small trajectory, such as on the forehead (as the earliest descriptions of the Sign suggest). For a member of the Faith, perhaps the essential element of the Sign is that it physically indicates the direct relevance of the Cross, of the Sacrifice of Jesus, to one's person or surroundings. It is an engagement of the body that affirms what the faithful professes. It is also a sign to others of what one professes.

The sign is one of the simpliest things we can do to ask Jesus our King, God, and Saviour to Bless us. One of best reasons I can think of to make the sign is that Satan hates the cross with a passion, we as Orthodox Christians physically put the sign of the Cross on our bodies for blessings, as a sign of what we profess, and for protection. Peace be with you.

Answer 2

The Christian custom of gesturing the sign of the cross was originally with the right hand thumb and across the forehead only. The custom originated during the second century.

Around year 200 in Carthage (modern Tunisia, Africa), Tertullian says: "We Christians wear out our foreheads with the sign of the cross". It is thought that, by the end of the second century Christians signed the cross on their forehead before taking any risk, such as embarking on a journey.

Paul wrote that the cross was the only thing he could boast about. Galatians 6:14: "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

. The sign of the cross is another work of early Christians, within 100 years of the writing of the Bible, and one other form of making the sign of the cross is to simply cross your fingers as this was used during the early persecutions of Christians in pagan Rome as a sign of unity and comfort.

Answer 3

maximum Christians do no longer hire the sign of the go. that's a Roman Catholic prepare. the unique which skill of it replaced into to declare, "Crucify him!" while the Roman governor asked human beings if a guy ought to be crucified, he might desire to no longer hear what all and sundry replaced into replying, because of the fact it replaced into so loud and he replaced into so far removed from a number of the folk. So if somebody made the sign of the go, it instructed the governor that they needed the accused to be crucified. I disagree with the prepare, because of the fact of its unique use. have you ever observed how that's used to steer away from evil, yet some Catholics make the sign whilst passing their church homes? i detect that exciting. God bless you!

Answer 4

Alexandra made a point that I like, in that Satan hate the cross.
It is a sign of his ultimate defeat.
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On another note, do you remember how Dracula and other vampires have such a problem when they are confronted with the Cross of Christ.
I Cr 13;8a
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Answer 5

got it wrong..least Catholic way......Head in the Father ..Stomach of the Son....left shoulder Holy Spirit right shoulder Amen

Answer 6

True Christians do not make the sign of the cross. The cross is a pagan symbol.

Answer 7

the cross has no authentinity,its just somethn for people who want an object that makes them feel closer to God

Answer 8

Catholics do that not all Christians.