Posted on 06/14/2014 2:29:20 PM PDT by NYer
Q: My friend is Greek Orthodox. In his Church, they make the sign of the cross crossing themselves from the right shoulder to the left, but we do the opposite. Why is there a difference? When did this come into practice?
The sign of the cross is a beautiful gesture which reminds the faithful of both the cross of salvation while invoking the Holy Trinity. Technically, the sign of the cross is a sacramental, a sacred sign instituted by the Church which prepares a person to receive grace and which sanctifies a moment or circumstance. Along this thought, this gesture has been used since the earliest times of the Church to begin and to conclude prayer and the Mass.
The early Church Fathers attested to the use of the sign of the cross. Tertullian (d. 250) described the commonness of the sign of the cross: “In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross” (De corona, 30).
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (d. 386) in his Catechetical Lectures stated, “Let us then not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the cross our seal, made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat and the cups we drink, in our comings and in our goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are traveling, and when we are at rest” (Catecheses, 13). Gradually, the sign of the cross was incorporated in different acts of the Mass, such as the three-fold signing of the forehead, lips, and heart at the reading of the gospel or the blessing and signing of the bread and wine to be offered.
The earliest formalized way of making the sign of the cross appeared about the 400s, during the Monophysite heresy which denied the two natures in the divine person of Christ and thereby the unity of the Holy Trinity. The sign of the cross was made from forehead to chest, and then from right shoulder to left shoulder with the right hand. The thumb, forefinger, and middle fingers were held together to symbolize the Holy Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Moreover, these fingers were held in such a way that they represented the Greek abbreviation I X C (Iesus Christus Soter, Jesus Christ Savior): the straight forefinger representing the I; the middle finger crossed with the thumb, the X; and the bent middle finger, the C. The ring finger and “pinky” finger were bent downward against the palm, and symbolize the unity of the human nature and divine nature, and the human will and divine will in the person of Christ. This practice was universal for the whole Church until about the twelfth century, but continues to be the practice for the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches and the Orthodox Churches.
An instruction of Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) evidences the traditional practice, but also indicates a shift in the Latin Rite practice of the Catholic Church: “The sign of the cross is made with three fingers, because the signing is done together with the invocation of the Trinity…. This is how it is done: from above to below, and from the right to the left, because Christ descended from the heavens to the earth, and from the Jews (right) He passed to the Gentiles (left).” While noting the custom of making the cross from the right to the left shoulder was for both the western and eastern Churches, Pope Innocent continued, “Others, however, make the sign of the cross from the left to the right, because from misery (left) we must cross over to glory (right), just as Christ crossed over from death to life, and from Hades to Paradise. [Some priests] do it this way so that they and the people will be signing themselves in the same way. You can easily verify this — picture the priest facing the people for the blessing — when we make the sign of the cross over the people, it is from left to right….” Therefore, about this time, the faithful began to imitate the priest imparting the blessing, going from the left shoulder to the right shoulder with an open hand. Eventually, this practice became the custom for the Western Church.
In the classic work, The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite by Adrian Fortescue and J. B. O’Connell, the sign of the cross is made as follows: “Place the left hand extended under the breast. Hold the right hand extended also. At the word Patris [Father] raise it and touch the forehead; at Filii [Son] touch the breast at a sufficient distance down, but above the left hand; at Spiritus Sancti [Holy Spirit] touch the left and right shoulders; at Amen join the hands if they are to be joined.” Although this practice may have evolved from the original and still current practice of Eastern Rite, it nevertheless has been the standing custom for the Latin Rite Church for centuries.
No matter how one technically makes the sign of the cross, the gesture should be made consciously and devoutly. The individual must be mindful of the Holy Trinity, that central dogma that makes Christians “Christians.” Also, the individual must remember that the cross is the sign of our salvation: Jesus Christ, true God who became true man, offered the perfect sacrifice for our redemption from sin on the altar of the cross. This simple yet profound act makes each person mindful of the great love of God for us, a love that is stronger than death and promises everlasting life. For good reason, a partial indulgence is granted to a person who devoutly signs himself with the sign of the cross, saying, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Enchirdion of Indulgences, No. 55). Therefore, may each of us make the sign of the cross with purpose and precision, not hastily or carelessly.
Most basketball players in college would rather slap each other’s hands after a FT than make the sign of the cross. I have seen Catholic football player make the sign after scoring a touchdown.
We have no Biblical support for making the sign of the cross as we see a lot of people do.
Oh, really?
Where are the references to the Holy Trinity in the Bible?
Paul in 2Cor
READING 2 2 COR 13:11-13
Brothers and sisters, rejoice.
Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the holy ones greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Where are the references to the Holy Trinity in the Bible?
Matthew 28
Gospel mt 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
I have no problem with this ending. In fact, it's one of the most biblically based things I've seen on this board.
However, the crossing of the body is not Biblical.
I think most people over a certain age were taught that (in the Latin Rite churches, at least). It’s kind of depressing to see how hesitant and shaky many young people are with it now, though. Of course, they’ve no longer been taught to genuflect or do much of anything, so I guess that’s not surprising.
Never denied the Trinity.
Just crossing the body.
I am encouraged that catholics are appealing to Scripture and not Tradition for a change!
Thank you.
The Sign of the Cross existed in both the East and the West long before Protestants even came on the scene. It was not meant to distinguish Catholics.
Protestantism arose almost 1500 years after the founding of the Church, and because Protestantism is very similar to Islam in rejecting traditional images and symbols, it was the Protestants who rejected the Sign of the Cross.
We were always complimented when in a restaurant, making the Sign of the Cross (yes, all five children and mom and dad) and saying the Prayer before Meals.
People would always stop by our table and say how impressed they were with our family.
Many Lutherans make the sign of the cross, and most people consider Lutherans to be Protestant.
I can’t speak to other denominations.
Google reports that the Methodists do too.
Also: Reformed Tradition
In some Reformed churches, such as the PCUSA and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the sign of the cross is used on the foreheads during baptism or during an Ash Wednesday service when ashes are imposed on the forehead. The sign of the cross in some instances is used during Communion.
In some instances during a Benediction, when the minister concludes the service using the trinitarian blessing, a hand is extended and a sign of the cross is made out toward the congregation. This type of benediction is seen in quite a few High Presbyterian congregations, especially on the East Coast of the USA and in Scotland, (The Church of Scotland) which is Presbyterian as in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.
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Apparently the Apostles first used it.
From: THE SIGN OF THE CROSS - Catholic Tradition http://www.catholictradition.org/Classics/signum-crucis.htm
It was first instituted by the Apostles themselves, who, invested with the authority ... The Gospel also declares to us that when He shall come at the last day to judge the world, the sacred sign of the Cross shall appear in the heavens, ... be the disciples of the Cross, and none but they, whom He will acknowledge for His Own.
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So we are following a 2000 year old tradition.
Good to learn that.
Oops! I meant to say my forefinger, my middle finger, and my ring finger. Those three fingers represent the 3 Persons of the Trinity.
This devotion is one of many customs and teachings among Lutherans which validate the description offered half a century ago by (then) Lutheran World Federation President Rev. Dr. Franklin Clark Fry:
Lutherans are bridge church; not truly Catholic and not really Protestant.
I would say much of Protestantism embraces the Iconoclastic heresy which was condemned in 787AD at 2nd Nicea. Even before that, Pope Gregory III condemned the iconoclastic movement around 731 [which would be affirmed at the 7th Council in 787AD]. Saint John Damascene, the last of the Church Fathers, wrote against the Iconoclastic supporters. If you read the canons and decrees from 2nd Nicea in 787, one clearly sees that rejection of icons was seen as an attack on the Doctrine of the Incarnation [of which both Jews and Muslims reject]. And while Protestantism does not reject it, you still have a segment of Protestantism that has Nestorian tendencies, which I can attest to given my time here and comments made by numerous FR protestants in thread and after thread.
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecum07.htm
In the fifth grade was the first time I ever saw someone make the sign of the Cross. Rural Oklahoma. A kid stepped up to the plate, did so, and promptly hit a home run. I was impressed no end. I was too scared to ever try it, but I did convert 20 years later. God Bless
Welcome Home!
Aye.
The descendants of Calvin, Zwingli, and the radical reformers changed the numbering of the Ten Commandments--combining 9 & 10 on coveting so to allow for a new # 2 "Thou shalt not make any graven image".
Catholics, Orthodox, and Lutherans have retained the historic numbering.
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