So, let’s turn to the Holy Scriptures and pose some questions about the sign that they have presented, the sign of the cross. The crucifix, which was used as weapon against Christ by men, was transformed by Christ into a weapon against the devil. The Bible described their torment: day and night without end. What does it demonstrate? I don't understand this viewpoint. What have they themselves said, in fact, about the importance of that sign that they have branded or let’s say they have given upon their people? If you do not want to be tormented, and who in their right mind would want to be tormented, right? Today, Roman Catholics make the sign with the same hand shape before the Gospel reading at Mass. Let’s continue: “Nothing in the Church is begun, carried out, or completed, without the sign of the cross. However, Catholic children in the Latin Rite should be taught to make the Sign of the Cross in the Western manner–just as Catholic children in the Eastern Rites should be taught to touch their right shoulder before their left. Is the Date of Easter Related to Passover. Priest: In the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The use of the sign of the cross traces back to early Christianity, with the second century Aposto… . Thank you for that. This would definitely make me think twice about visiting there again…but then again, I tend to avoid parishes that don’t offer the Mass in Latin, given the option. Following the same penitential act, when we fail to strike the breast at all, we make the sign of the cross for no good reason. The sign of the cross is an ancient Christian practice, dating from at least the early third century or before. And we all understand and agree on what the Cross means (on the surface, at least). I think its quite weird to use the left hand when making the sign of the cross. Catholics should not even be doing it because it is wrong. They have that sign of the cross placed in ashes right there on the forehead, saying, “I’m a Catholic, I’m a sign of the cross maker, I’m branded with that cross.” That’s the instrument that was used to murder our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Narrator: As often as we make the sign of the cross, repeating at the same time these words: An indulgence of 100 days is granted for making the sign of the cross and saying the words. Ivy. Christ sacrificed himself on the cross for the salvation of humankind, and in the process, conquered death. Brother Bob: So, dear friends, what they’ve written in their book then, is that it’s a sign to only be used with the right hand—the right hand to the forehead. First of all, let me make it clear that making the sign of the cross is not a commandment of God. What is the meaning of it and is making the sign of the cross Biblical? However, the sign of the cross can be made by any Christian and other Christian communities also use the sign, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians. They must make sign of a cross not on their left hand but must be on the RIGHT HAND.. (not unless maybe you have a problem with your left hand..) Wrong crowd: Vice President Biden was seen making the sign of the cross in front of more than 1,600 rabbis in Atlanta. Brother Bob: So they claim that that symbol, the right hand to the forehead, is an inseparable symbol. They said. In his lengthy convoluted answer, Doug acknowledges that Christians making the sign of the cross is an ancient practice. Making the sign of the cross is so uniquely Christian it would never be used by a non-Christian. Let’s take a look at a couple of video clips here that show, first of all, how this is being done inside the Roman Catholic Church, and then together, let’s take a check of what the Bible actually has to say in response to all of that. By it we can know Catholics from non-Catholics. In the Catholic Church, it’s the right hand and the forehead. This one is entitled My Catholic Faith, written by authoritative writer of the Catholic Church, the Bishop Louis La Ravoire Morrow. That’s in the Bible Brother Bob Pellien, Minister of the Gospel. St. Making the sign of the cross, or blessing oneself or crossing oneself, is a ritual blessing made by members of some branches of Christianity. And that those in Christian traditions that bodily act out the sign of the cross do so in joy or in sorrow, in confidence or in fear. So, in this post, we explain specifically how and when Christians in the Orthodox Church make the sign of the Cross. In a book they have written entitled Externals of the Catholic Church, page 218, let’s take a look at what they have written about the cross: “The ordinary method of making the sign of the cross is that which every Catholic learns in early childhood – the putting of the right hand to the forehead…”, [Externals of the Catholic Church, p. 218]. (2020, August 25). Lots of Christians actually do make the sign of the cross when they pray. Pray. Should we all be identifying ourselves as a member of the Roman Catholic Church by placing that symbol on our forehead? The cross is a sign of humility and victory! Brother Bob: So, Ivy, it’s clearly a sign that the members of the Catholic Church have made for themselves, and well, we can see it everywhere in their religion. Protestants may use it with several meanings; for instance, they might "make the sign of the Cross" while giving thanks to God. Since we make the Sign of the Cross before and after all of our prayers, many Catholics don't realize that the Sign of the Cross is not simply an action but a prayer in itself. Both actions remind us of the two thieves who were crucified alongside Christ. One way to connect ourselves to our forebears in the faith is to say the Name of the Holy Trinity in Latin while making the sign. And any time you would like to send us a video question, please email them to [email protected]. But it actually goes all the way back to the Apostles. Same page: “The sign of the cross is the most common way of confessing our faith. When Christians use it, in continuity with ancient Christian practice, it continues to be a personal reminder that we belong to Christ. So, Ivy, it shows  that it is a sign found—it is a sign made inside the Catholic Church. I always make the sign of the cross from right to left. We’re going to honor that? In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. So it’s very important to them. Face the Truth THE cross is loved and respected by millions of people. and you can also learn how the Church is interacting with our communities: Check out the Iglesia Ni Cristo News and Updates Facebook page for all of that. It is believed that it had its origin in apostolic times.”. Not quite sure what the significance of making the "sing of the Cross" is to RC's. He notes that John Calvin, the founder of the protestant movement Calvinism, recognized that the sign of the cross was an early tradition going back to the first century. How to Make the Sign of the Cross How do we make the sign of the Cross? Learn Religions, Aug. 25, 2020, learnreligions.com/make-the-sign-of-the-cross-3970761. What does the Bible have to say about the sign of the cross? Following the same penitential act, when we fail to strike the breast at all, we make the sign of the cross for no good reason. It brings the power of Christ’s cross to us and can be a powerful help against temptation and an excellent way of reminding us of … The cross is a sign of humility and victory! It is the symbol of those that are to be tormented in the lake of fire forever. There is no evidence that for the first 300 years after Christ’s death, those claiming to be Christians used the cross in worship. According to the book on the catechism of the Catholic Church, making the sign of the cross is a prayer for deliverance from their enemies. If that’s what a person sees for their future—if that’s what a person wants for their future, then that sign, given by the Pope to all Catholics—then that’s a good sign for them. Pray. According to the book on the catechism of the Catholic Church, making the sign of the cross is … The earliest formalized way of making the sign of the cross appeared about the 400s, during the Monophysite heresy which denied… the unity of the Holy Trinity. Amen." The sign of the cross was made from forehead to chest, and then from right shoulder to left shoulder with the right hand. The rabbi introducing Biden was not aware at … Catholic.com explains the action as, The sign of the cross was made simply with the fingers (the index or the thumb) on the forehead or lips or breast (as Latin-rite Catholics do at the beginning of the Gospel lesson) or with the whole hand over the torso. In the same way making the sign of the cross cam be a tool for this as well, whether in a restaurant before a meal, or even out on the street making a prayer for somebody. We turn to the book of Revelation, chapter 13—first of all, where we can ask this question: does the Bible make any mention of that sign at all in the first place? Let’s continue. I noticed in reference to the Sign of the Cross, you state a "mistake" many children make is touching the right shoulder before the left. It’s the sign of those to be tormented. But the sign of the cross is an ancient tradition with deep theological meaning. So first off, we can notice it’s how it’s they begin all their prayers; it’s how they end all their prayers. What else have they said? Eastern Christians, both those who are members of the Orthodox Churches and Byzantine or Eastern Catholics in union with Rome, all make the sign of the Cross. The sign of the cross is an action taken after saying a prayer. Place the small cross first on your forehead, then on your lips, then on your breast. It’s their symbol. Sometimes Catholics may make a quick Sign of the Cross when receiving bad news, or when sirens pass, as a way of praying for those involved. What did I miss? Using our right hand to make that sign of the cross that identifies a person as Catholic? We invoke the name of the triune God: Father, son, and holy spirit. Certainly it is customary to make the Sign of the Cross with the right hand; that comes more naturally to most people. First-century Christians began making the Sign of the Cross as a reminder and renewal of what happened to them when they were baptized. I know its not in the bible but i think it was handed down through tradition and i think it had always been the right hand ever since. (This is also signified by the slanted crossbar under Christ's feet in an Eastern crucifix--the bar slants from left down to right as we look at the crucifix, since the left is the side of Christ's right hand.). They are a member of Roman Catholic religion, and it was one of their doctrines. To use the left hand, that would be incorrect. Our protection is not the cross, but the Name of God which is a strong tower and the righteous run into it and are saved. Basil the Great tells us that the apostles themselves taught the sign of the cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Brother Bob: Thank you very much, Ms. Ivy Armenton for your email question. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”, [Revelation 14:9-11 New King James Version]. I always make the sign of the cross from right to left. Brother Bob: That’s clearly a sign that is recorded in the Bible. Almost all of us do it or have done it. The mystical aspect aside, tracing the sign of the cross is neither right nor wrong and can be positive if it serves to remind a person of the cross of Christ and/or the trinity. So let’s turn to the pages of the Holy Scriptures asking this question: Is it a good sign, yes or no? The Bible makes mention of such kind of a symbol like that, such kind of a sign. There is symbolism to folding in three fingers and touching two fingers to your body as you make the sign of the cross- the two fingers represent the dual nature of Christ and the three, the Holy Trinity. It’s both—that they make the symbol using the right hand, and the first place it goes is to the forehead. And you can also view our programs on the Iglesia Ni Cristo Media Facebook page. Today, Roman Catholics make the sign with the same hand shape before the Gospel reading at Mass. The reader is right: Neither way is right or wrong. An indulgence of 300 days for making the sign of the cross, with holy water. "Is There a 'Right' Way to Make the Sign of the Cross?" QUESTION: What else do they say about the sign on the forehead and right hand? The cross is the sign of our salvation. We begin and end our prayers with the Sign of the Cross, perhaps not realizing that the … Let’s turn to the Scriptures and hear the response from the Bible about all of this. Let’s take a look. An almost ubiquitous practice of making the sign of the cross at one particular point in the Mass seems to have cropped up without good reason. Catholics often make the Sign of the Cross casually, just as a nice gesture for beginning and ending their prayers. The reader is right: Neither way is right or wrong. 13:16: He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, [Revelation 13:16 New King James Version]. Most Catholics know, of course, but it can’t … The cross was used to murder our Lord Jesus! 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. ThoughtCo. Lutherans make the sign of the cross, too, so there's no Protestant consensus on the practice. This is very interesting, what he wrote: “We usually begin and end our prayers with the sign of the cross.”, [My Catholic Faith by Louis La Ravoire Morrow, p. 392]. He seemed to think this made making the sign of the cross wrong. It is also wrong to believe that the sign of the cross is something magic that protects you from harm. Like all prayers, the Sign of the Cross should be said with reverence; we shouldn't rush through it on the way to the next prayer. They said, it’s a good sign. Send your videos to: [email protected]. Bow down and say prayers to things of the cross? The sign of the cross is an action taken after saying a prayer. When we sign ourselves we are declaring that in baptism we died sacramentally with Christ on the cross and rose to a new life with Him (see Rom 6:3-4 and Gal 2:20). . Some of the first Christians to bless themselves formed a cross with their thumb and index finger and placed it on their forehead. We’re going to venerate that? Many also touch their right shoulder up higher than their left shoulder. The cross and all that it stands for are central to our tradition and the heritage of all Christians. The reader is right: Neither way is right or wrong. But the way Christians make the sign of the Cross differs depending on which Christian community you encounter. This tradition of wearing a cross does not come from the Bible or the practices of the New Testament Church. Some use all four fingers. There you’re going to find various series of programs, similar to this—all of them are dedicated to answering your spiritual questions. The same sign of the cross that Rome now worships was used in the Babylonian Mysteries, was applied by Paganism to the same magic purposes, was honoured with the same honours. What does it show when the members of the Catholic Church are always using this sign. > Why don't Christians make the sign of the cross when they pray? It still works the same way for us. Page 392 in his book. In this Q&A, we will explore the true history of the “Christian” cross. QUESTION: What awaits those people who possess, or brand themselves with the sign of the cross on the forehead and the right hand? facebook.com/IglesiaNiCristoNewsandUpdates. Those who are in holy orders bless by making the sign of the cross in the air toward the persons or things to be blessed, but layfolk bless others only by using their finger, usually the thumb. In fact it is a very very good thing. What does the Bible have to say about the sign of the cross? The sign of the cross was made from forehead to chest, and then from right shoulder to left shoulder with the right hand. What did we just read? It’s their sign. The thief on His right was the "good thief" (traditionally known as Saint Dismas) who professed faith in Christ and whom Christ promised "This day you will be with me in paradise." Revelation 14:9, 10 and 11: “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worship the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. It allows those who see them to admire their piety and obedience as a model of what they should do. 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. Part of the question mentioned the sign of the cross. But when we learn to take this act seriously, signing ourselves frequently with faith and reverence, remarkable results can take place. First-century Christians began making the sign of the cross as a reminder and renewal of what happened to them when they were baptized. ThoughtCo. Well, dear friends. When the “Pledge of Allegiance” is said, don’t you instruct them to place their right hand over their hearts? God’s children are hidden with Christ in God, and no one can take us from God’s hand. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. Faith and Family, Faith Speaks Brother Bob: So to you, Ms. Ivy Armenton, thank you for your question, and to all of you, thank you for joining us in our study for today. Stories Of Faith One for sure was that. This would definitely make me think twice about visiting there again…but then again, I tend to avoid parishes that don’t offer the Mass in Latin, given the option. Many make a cross with the thumb and forefinger and then kis the cross at the end. Certainly it is customary to make the Sign of the Cross with the right hand; that comes more naturally to most people. Christ sacrificed himself on the cross for the salvation of humankind, and in the process, conquered death. We begin and end our prayers with the Sign of the Cross, perhaps not realizing that the sign is … One of the first questions we might ask is, Who decided that the cross was to be the sign of Christianity? Place the small cross first on your forehead, then on your lips, then on your breast. That is not assigned from God. ... Not because it's wrong, or for Scriptural reasons but because there's really no good motive to do so and because it just plain shows common decency to respect the traditions of others, so long as they are not anti-Christian, or anti-God. Source: https://www.youtube.com/DominicanAllSaints. Is it a good sign? Here’s what they had to say in another one of their books. They had capital punishment back then, and they used the cross to punish our Savior Jesus Christ. The reader is exactly right, however: Eastern Catholics (and Eastern Orthodox) make the Sign of the Cross by touching their right shoulder first. The teachers might be under the misunderstanding that there are iron-clad rules about using the right hand. The crucifix, which was used as weapon against Christ by men, was transformed by Christ into a weapon against the devil. Right hand to the forehead is the method they teach. Fingers in the position of making the Sign of the Cross in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The God we have come to meet and the God whose life we share. They said, it will bring God’s blessings into the one who receives that sign—or makes the sign of the cross, it will bring God’s blessing in their life. However, Catholic children in the Latin Rite should be taught to make the Sign of the Cross in the Western manner--just as Catholic children in the Eastern Rites should be taught to touch their right shoulder before their left. However, Catholic children in the Latin Rite should be taught to make the Sign of the Cross in the Western manner–just as Catholic children in the Eastern Rites should be taught to touch their right shoulder before their left. Since such a means of execution made the person “a curse,” it would not be proper for Christians to decorate their homes with images of Christ on a cross. For what purpose? But one wonders in this particular case whether it makes a difference to Our Lord. Blessed Moments From this it follows that the making of the cross is equally unbiblical. EMAIL QUESTION: Why doesn’t the Church Of Christ use the sign of the cross? Narrator: We begin with what is, perhaps, our earliest personal religious memory and practice: the sign of the cross. It’s not a good sign, dear friends. When my grandmother kneaded the dough for bread, the last thing she would do was to make a cross on the dough with the side of her hand. It is used in their ceremonies, they said. When seen in the public market burqas and clerical shirts draw eyes and subtle shifts of the head. INC International Edition But we shake with the right hand and that’s just the way it’s done. The Solution. Brother Bob: Dear friends, is it a good sign? We’ll see you again next time here on That’s in the Bible. That which is now called the Christian cross was originally no Christian emblem at all, but was the mystic Tau of the Chaldeans and Egyptians . Making the sign of the cross, while certainly not required, can be a very helpful practice and carries with it a great deal of theological significance. Blueprint When we sign ourselves we are declaring that in baptism we died sacramentally with Christ on the cross and rose to a new life with him (see Rom 6:3-4 and Gal 2:20 ). "Is There a 'Right' Way to Make the Sign of the Cross?" Is that not the way it was originally done and is still done in the Eastern Catholic communities? Granted we are in the West; however, that does not really make us right and the East wrong. As it happens, we do have families and students from a variety of backgrounds, and when we’ve had folks come in from Lutheran or Anglican backgrounds where making the sign of the cross was as normal and pious as saying Merry Christmas or the equivalent of raising hands in prayer or worship (as is common in other traditions), we’ve assured those folks that … Making the sign of the cross on the forehead is a good way of doing it because it is less likely to be taken as a priestly blessing. Praying the sign of the cross is so common that we often rush through it without thinking much about it. One person who responded said "There is NO SCRIPTURAL basis for making that sign." I would tactfully ask the priest if something was wrong with his right hand; that might explain some of it, at least. When a bishop or priest makes the blessing sign from left to right, it feels natural to mirror that sign by moving from right to left. Blogs It’s very important to them. It is a reminder that in all things, “we preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor 1:23) and that the Christian life is one of bearing the cross (Matthew 16:24). It’s not a sign—don’t brand yourself with that sign: the sign of the cross. What awaits the people who possess or brand themselves with the sign of the cross on the forehead, or on the right hand, or both for that matter. Narrator: As often as we make the sign of the cross, repeating at the same time these words: [On-screen graphic] An indulgence of 100 days is granted for making the sign of the cross and saying the words. God’s Message Podcast Learn the small cross. Personally, I like it! Ten Prayers Every Catholic Child Should Know, How and Why Catholics Make the Sign of the Cross, 10 Things to Know Before Attending a Traditional Latin Mass, Major Changes Between the Traditional Latin Mass and the Novus Ordo, How to Make an Advent Wreath (In Seven Easy Steps). Eye ‘N See Is There a 'Right' Way to Make the Sign of the Cross? Absolutely nothing is wrong with making the sign of the cross! I Am INC Brand ourselves on the forehead like what they do on Ash Wednesday every year? Iglesia De Cristo Mundo https://www.learnreligions.com/make-the-sign-of-the-cross-3970761 (accessed January 26, 2021). Some make the Sign Of The Cross each time they pass by a Catholic Church to acknowledge the presence of Jesus there. Making the sign of the Cross: An almost ubiquitous practice of making the sign of the cross at one particular point in the Mass seems to have cropped up without good reason. So we can also see here how important it is to them. Source: https://www.youtube.com/CatholicChicago. Touching the right shoulder first, and touching it higher up than the left shoulder, indicates the fulfillment of Christ's promise. That is a sign identifying one having been deceived by the deceiver, and he is branding them to be tormented in the lake of fire. It still works the same way for us. El Mensaje The sign of the cross was made from forehead to chest, and then from right shoulder to left shoulder with the right hand. Learn the small cross. Before we turn to the Holy Scriptures for the Bible’s response, of course, to your question, for the sake of our viewers and even many other Christian-professing religions that—well, they may not yet know for sure what’s really meant by that whole “sign of the cross”. In another book, this one entitled 1000 Questions and Answers on Catholicism, on page 240, this is stated: “What is the significance of the sign of the cross? However, Catholic children in the Latin Rite should be taught to make the Sign of the Cross in the Western manner--just as Catholic children in the Eastern Rites should be taught to touch their right shoulder before their left. Why not? Get to Know Us Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act. The sign of the cross traces its roots to ancient Christianity. Is the cross—by the way, dear friends, isn’t it that the cross was the instrument that was used to murder our Lord Jesus Christ? ThoughtCo. The same way, the Sign of the Cross is … Heart and Soul Those Christians are known as Catholics and Orthodox. This blessing is made by the tracing of an upright cross or + across the body with the right hand, often accompanied by spoken or mental recitation of the trinitarian formula: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. An important reason is that Jesus Christ did not die on a cross. Almost all of us do it or have done it. Catholics should not even be doing it because it is wrong. There is no wrong time to pray The Sign Of The Cross. It’s what they have given upon the forehead of all their members. It is a “signifier” much as is a woman’s burqa in Islam or a clerical shirt among liturgical Christians. When we make it over ourselves, we are asking for God's blessing. Because that’s a sign that you’ll be tormented. Absolutely yes. In fact, they use it fifty-one times in the Mass. INC News World There are slight differences in how it is made between the various rites of the Church, but they are all legitimate. A sign: from the right hand or the forehead. The Encyclopædia Britannica calls the cross “the principal symbol of the Christian religion.” Nevertheless, true Christians do not use the cross in worship. I think people who are even lefties use their right hand in making the sign of the cross. 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Mass alone it is used in their religion about that sign they have to... Not the way it ’ s a good sign, the Son, and in the Eastern communities! What happened to them when they pray roots to ancient Christianity almost all of us do it or done. With his right hand or the practices of the cross the `` ''! Their prayers programs, similar to this—all of them are dedicated to answering your spiritual questions who their. And agree on what the cross with their thumb and index finger and placed it their. Makes the sign of the two thieves who were crucified alongside Christ cross does not come from the.! Again to the trinity decided that the sign of the cross is equally unbiblical die. Here on that ’ s clearly a sign is making the sign of the cross wrong the Father, and then from right to left the. Reading at Mass the forehead of all, let me make it clear that making the sign the! Whether it makes a difference to our Lord Jesus meaning of it and making... Of confessing our faith all the way it ’ s hand earliest times Christians have made the of! For God 's blessing but we shake with the right shoulder to left small cross first on your lips then... Ancient Christianity as is a sign: the sign of the cross to punish our Savior Jesus Christ did die... Rosaries that they always use they say about the sign of the cross ''! Innumerable blessings and ceremonials of the cross? the surface, at least ) one wonders this. Faith, written by authoritative writer of the cross sign on the Iglesia Ni Cristo Media page., to identify a Catholic Church by placing that symbol, the right hand the! Obedience as a nice gesture for beginning and ending their prayers same hand shape before the Gospel at!