When and Where did the Sign Of The Cross originate?

Question

Anyone know when making the Sign of the Cross became standard Christian ritual ?


(( If there's anyone who doesn't know, the Sign of the Cross is accomplished as the fingertips of one (usually right) hand,
touch (1) forehead [mind],
touch (2) chest [heart/body],
touch (3) left shoulder,
touch (4) right shoulder [soul/spirit],
and sometimes touch (5) lips.

"In the name of the (1) Father, and the (2) Son, and the (3) Holy (4) Spirit, (5) Amen." ))

I have a hypothesis that the Sign/Cross means:
Father (Head/Mind) and
Son (Body)
working together THROUGH
the [line of] the Holy Spirit.

( Um, am I making myself clear? )

Answer 1

Really early in the development of Christian practice
though prob. first just a small cross sign on the forehead(Tertullian [c AD 155-230] saw this as already a traditional practice)
The sign of the cross is a profession of faith in the saving death of Christ and the centrality in Christian Faith of the Holy Trinity.

The full sign of the Cross is used not only by Catholics but also by Orthodox, many Anglicans and many Lutherans.

IMHO I do not see why other Trinitarians do not use the Sign of the Cross in prayer except for "Romaphobia", irrational or inordinate fear of anything that could be labelled as Catholic.

Answer 2

Christians first started to use the cross about 300ad this was brought in by Constantine the great.
According to the books Babylon Mystery Religion & The two Babylons the cross is a pagan symbol from the acient Babylonions of Chalda.
The cross was call the Tau , it was the sign of the false prophet Tammuz .
The bible warns about using pagan symbols
Deut 7:16 Jer 10 :1 to 5 & Rev 18 :1 to 4 to name a few.

Answer 3

During the Golden Age of Hollywood

Answer 4

The false religion who claimed to be christian but not true christian religion.

Answer 5

www.zeitgeistmovie.com