The Sign of the Cross
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Origin of the most recognised and most frequently used prayer in Christian History.
We all know it, and it's worth knowing why Orthodox Christians, Catholics, and others, have preserved a practice for 2,000 years! There is MORE to this to discover! I didn't mention the additional symbolisms, or the quotes from many other early Church writers, and I didn't include the possible histories regarding the sign of the Cross being a continuation of ancient Jewish tradition from Old Testament times, or the prefiguring of the Sign of the Cross in Moses' raised arms over the people of Israel. This is just an intro.
More videos:
Frederica Mathewes-Green giving a handy breakdown: • The Sign of the Cross,...
Fr Seraphim Cardoza talks (briefly) about the beauty of the sign of the cross: • 🙂 Orthodox vs Evangeli...
A video from 'Be the Bee': • Be the Bee #29 | The B...
An animated video with some history: • The Sign of the Cross ...
A random clip from a movie with the sign of the cross and the animation looks great: • Orthodox Sign Of The C...
A short video from Trisagion Films about this: • The Sign of the Holy C...
A channel about Orthodox Christianity: / theoria
Another one with lots of interviews: / protectingveil
If your interest in the Orthodox Church has been sparked, recommended reading is:
"The Orthodox Church" by Kallistos (or Timothy) Ware for an intro into it all
"Orthodoxy and Heteredoxy" by Fr Andrew Stephen Damick for a look at Orthodoxy alongside all the other types of Christian
Handy website for Americans: www.orthodoxin...
Jonathan Pageau on why ritual is inevitable: • The Inevitability of R...
A big list of quotes from Early Church Fathers about the sign of the cross (including Tertullian, Hippolytus, Cyprian, Ephrem, Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem and more): classicalchris...
A short, and neatly written little Catholic article on the sign of the cross: www.catholic.c...
A more intense article with heaps of references: www.newadvent....
By this point I should mention you can buy us a cuppa tea if you like:
ko-fi.com/patr...
Making the sign of the cross is a comfort. I actually did an awkward sign of the cross when I had just accepted Christ personally and visited my grandmother’s grave to say I’d found Christ- which I know was her prayer in life, and I believe has been her prayer even now. I had no knowledge of any denominations etc- but somehow it felt appropriate.
A nice story! It is a beautiful and personal prayer that is beyond any denomination!
Yeah but remember, Orthodoxy is not a denomination - because we never left the church. It's PRE-denominational. Everybody ELSE is a denomination because they left a larger group at some point.
I hurt my shoulder & it hurts to make the sign of the cross, especially to my left shoulder. I will not stop.
If you are Orthodox you can make the sign of the Cross right to Left Baptist as Escopalian we do it left to but I still do it the Orthodox Cross
Absolutely based! 💀
Recently I watched a video of a priest also talking about this and he said that the reason we go right shoulder to left shoulder is because Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father and we can only go to the Father through Jesus. I thought that was cool. Just wanted to share. Good video! Thank you.
Your enthusiasm for the faith is infectious. Glory to God!
Thank you, friend! Our friends can attest to the fact that my topics on this channel are things that excite both myself and my brother in an average conversation😆
Thank you for subscribing and your kind words
I was raised as Catholic but always felt like there wasnt much passion in the Catholic Church. So later in my life i joined a Protestant Church which i liked way more as there was way more Passion in that Church, but now in the Protestant Church there is still one thing that I hunger for, and that is connection. Although there is a lot of passion in this Church, I still dont really feel a connection to Christ and the rest of the Church. I try and think of what i should do and i try and fail everytime, this is what has led me to Orthodoxy. Although there isn't an Orthodox Church in the area that i live in when I graduate, I am thinking of moving to a country where there is a lot of Orthodoxy so that i can actually become Orthodox. I pray that through your videos and others I will be able to learn more about Orthodoxy until then. I pray that i could have some help from people to help me connect with the Orthodox Church as soon as possible.
God bless your journey! Remember you don't always have to move to an Orthodox country. Orthodox are in most places in the world. Try to reach out to your nearest church. And keep praying! God is near!
@@PatristixThank you and God bless you
I recently discovered Orthodoxy. I live in Canada. I did not think there was anything close by to where I live. I did a internet search and also phoned a old friend that became a decon. He gave me 3 orthodox churches that were about 25 minutes drive from where I live. I now have been attending St Herman’s of Alaska for 2 months. What a blessing..👍🏽🙏🏽❤️🩹
As a Catholic, I firmly believe there's good parishes out there if you look! Alternatively, you can also consider Eastern Catholic churches if you specifically desire the Eastern patrimony. God bless you on your journey, wherever that may lead. 🙏🏽
Come to Romania. You will discover a huge living orthodoxy. And wonders. Many wonders
I am a 1st generation American Palestinian. I was Baptized Greek Orthodox but am now a practicing Melkite Greek Catholic. I find your videos very good and informational. It has always confused me as to how my Protestant friends or family have either said history doesn’t matter or they don’t care about it. Your videos will help me try and explain why history is so very important. Thank you!
We're definitely grateful for our history and traditions! They're wonderful. Without them we'd have to reinvent our religion every generation. With them, we follow Christ as 2,000 years worth of our predecessors ❤️ Thanks for watching!
I'm catholic but interested in orthodox what made you switch?
I was baptized and raised Catholic but these videos played a large factor into my conversion to Orthodoxy lol
why a greek catholic not a greek orthodox?
I'm a Byzantine Catholic personally
Great explanation. I'd never really thought of where/when we started doing the sign of the Cross. Just seemed like one of those "We've just always done it" sort of things. That the early reference from Tertullian was cool to discover. A quote I came across not too long ago from St. Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century) is another great one:
"“Make then this sign [of the Cross] at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking; in a word, at every act.”
Yes! That's another early quote! And there are others almost as old.
It's inspiring knowing that our faith has preserved something so well for SO long
Strămoșii noștri făceau semnul crucii peste mâncare când găteau, însemnau cu cruce pâinea, orice mâncau, toate erau dedicate Lui Dumnezeu. Crucea sfințește și alungă duhurile necurate, și , cum spuneau sfinții părinți, chiar dacă mâncarea ar fi otrăvită, crucea anulează otrava. Acesta este adevărul demonstrat și în viețile sfinților, crucea se punea pe porți sau la intrarea în casă, ca să protejeze de rău familia. Când pleci la drum te însemnezi cu Sf. Cruce, ca să te protejeze Dumnezeu pe drum.Orice activitate începi cu sfânta cruce și cu o scurtă rugăciune. Aceasta intra în firescul vieții. Crucea se poartă la gât, la capătul mormântului etc. De asemenea, cartea Sf. Evanghelii, care conține cuvântul Lui Dumnezeu, alungă din spațiul unde se află , puterile demonice. De asemeni, împreună cu însemnarea cu crucea,se practică sfințirea casei cu tămâie și stropirea cu apă sfințită adusă de la Biserică. Aceea apa este cu adevărat sfințită, căci nu se alterează , își păstrează prospețimea și sfințenia foarte mult timp .
I just discovered your channel and I love it! I've been looking into Orthodoxy for some time now as a Pentecostal Christian, and I plan on converting in the near future! Your videos are so educational, yet so refreshing. Please know your impact by creating these videos is greater than you probably think. Thank you so much for putting your time into this. P.S I love the cozy vibes coming from the background set up! ☦☦❤❤ God Bless!
May God bless your journey into the Church, and thank you so much for the kind words! It was very encouraging to read! We'll keep making them and glad you like cozy vibes as much as we do.
I'm Pentecostal as well. We covered, very briefly, the early church and barely skimmed the church fathers and the apostles. My curiosity and my desire to be a part of THE Church was not satisfied. So here I am.
Coming from pentacostalism, what changed your mind about the trinity? I am also pentecostal learning about orthadoxy.
@@odonohoe7654
Most Pentecostals believe in the Trinity, although not the way the Orthodox understand it. If you’re talking about Oneness Pentecostalism, then there’s probably lots of ways to show that it doesn’t work. For example, if Jesus is just the Father become human, then who is Jesus praying to? Or when the Father speaks out of heaven to Him, who is talking to Him? Is He just putting on a show for us, or does He have a genuine relationship? Not only that but so many passages differentiate between the Father and the Son, for example,
”For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.“
~1 Corinthians 15:22-28
How can one possibly explain the above passage within Oneness theology? And many more. Alternative names for practically the same thing are Modalism and Sabellianism. I’m sure the church fathers had many arguments against this too, as it’s not a new idea by any means, it just keeps getting reinvented every so often and given a different name.
I am glad to hear this
I'm Catholic. When I pass an Orthodox Church, I do the sign of the cross in the Orthodox manner because I know that the true presence of Christ is in that Church.
Wdym
@@VehicleGuy1000the Orthodox Church is the true church
Then why haven't you become Orthodox when you know it's the Truth?
Thank you for explaining our Orthodox faith to the world ☦️🙏
Love that it is so ancient. I know it is almost taken for granted but then…it is totally ingrained in us.
I'm.really enjoying these videos, nice combo of Eastern Orthodox church history lessons and a personal message on how to tie it into our relationship with Christ and each other.
Thank you Irene! All of Christian history and theology is only useful if it grows us closer in love to Christ and His Church! It's easy to get excited by 'cool facts' (I do) but important that I remind myself of Who I am learning to love through that knowledge. Really glad you're enjoying the videos, and very grateful for the kind comments you have been leaving us!
The sign of the cross is so embeded in our faith I never imagined that there were Christians who didn't cross themselves. That's shocking!
I was raised Methodist and we never were taught or practiced it. Only recently have I found myself [somewhat unconsciously] practicing it while I see car accidents and other tragedies. This video is one of the first demonstrations I’ve learned on why Christians do this. Amen🙏
There are a lot of false Christians or Christian’s who are not actually worshipping Jesus but just calling themselves Christians who don’t do it
I love your channel. Could you do a video on prostration/s and Metanie (large and small)? Actually showing how it is done and done the right way in form and gesture, eventhough there are differences in cultural execution.
Great video👏, growing up as an American evangelical Christian, I was taught that this was inappropriate to do, I always wondered where it came from, thank you and god bless you
Glad you can do it now! Not only is it appropriate, but highly useful, deeply Christian, and ultimately very Biblical! ✝
Yes! It’s a practical way to “take up your cross”. ❤️☦️
A lot of us Protestants were not taught valuable traditions and practices. Much of it being scrapped at the reformation and then over the centuries and the continued scrapping and changing of these practices as more denominations popped up. But I have noticed in charismatic circles they invent their own traditions or rituals because I think they know deep inside it’s important. But at the same time they have this concept that being too religious is bad and tradition is bad. The only thing is Not All tradition is bad. Especially the traditions that the Holy Fathers passed down. Protestants never needed to reinvent the wheel. Instead of looking too far forward they should have looked backwards because the Eastern Orthodox was still right there. There was no need to reinvent the wheel..🙏🏽
I knew you'd seen Pageau's video on ritual before I saw it in the video notes. Nice work!
He puts it really well!
As someone who was wildly sceptical of prayer as a protestant, I've really enjoyed the sign. It feels less like a weirdly forced monologue in my head. The subconscious aspect of it is great
This channel is truly remarkable, the way you combine our theology with the orthopraxis brings to mind the greatest of Church Fathers! Your work for the Church is more than appreciated! Glory to God! ❤️🕊️☦️
I love the different ways the sign of the cross is made, The Eastern Orthodox way, The Oriental Orthodox (as described below), The Western Rite way (described in the video), And the Coptic church makes it a number of ways one of which being to extend all of the way to your feet instead of merely to your stomach.
Pretty sure EO also go all the way to the ground sometimes, I saw people do it when I was able to attend. Particularly when approaching the Icon of Christ.
The extending of the hand down in kind of a sweep above the floor is a way on indicating a prostration without actually making one.. as i understand.
Thank you for all of your videos. I was raised a Protestant but was baptized in 2005 in the Maronite Catholic Church. We are a very ancient eastern rite church, and similar in some ways to Eastern Orthodoxy. I have learned so much about my faith and the ancient church through your videos. I am sharing your videos with Protestant friends who don’t always understand what I try to tell them. Thank you again and keep the videos coming. God Bless.
I love how you shed light on the orthodox church at the end without directly saying it allowing people to want to do it for them self which causes people to be willing to do it instead of being reluctant about it. Bravo
It is so interesting ti know about the history behind the sign of the cross. To me is a no brainier in the sense it is the most summarised representation of the promises of Jesus to humankind.
Yet what you says about using your three fingers for the trinity and the other two about the divinity and humanity of Jesus was gorgeous.
As you says yes it is a ritual, a gorgeous one the thing with rituals is that often times we engage in them because of tradition and we don’t really or fully understand them.
To me now it means the summary of the promises of Christ, his mercy, his love for human kind, but also a reminder of us living in a valley of tears where we carry our own cross.
For me is the promise of God always transforming physical suffering into spiritual and everlasting joy. Ultimately making all things new and such a triumph of good over evil. The triumph of eternal life over death.
I just discovered your channel and it’s very helpful. My husband is English and recently converted to orthodoxy and it helps me to have your video’s and share with him. Thank you for making them.
This video is so thoughtfully done. I am grateful to God for you both, my Tasmanian brothers. ☦️❤️🙏🏿
Grateful for you too, our smooth-voiced friend! 💌
As a Catholic or as sometimes called a Roman Catholic, the open palm with all five digits is to represent the 5 wounds of Jesus Christ. But many Roman Catholics still do the 3 finger point with the two fingers to tue palm.
Well done. Clear and concise without sacrificing depth and quality.
I appreciate the history lesson. This was very informative, thank you 🙏🏽 very much.
Love your video, could you also please do a video on prostrations and why we do them as well as other asceticism like fasting.
Thanks so much!
And we'll definitely get to them I'm sure. I mean prostrations are as old as time so definitely worth looking at the Bible and history for that for sure.
Great point about how every one of us have secular rituals all through out our daily life. Rituals are part of human nature.
Thank you 🙏
I loved this!! I pray that your messages reach and bless many, many people!!
I really ENJOYED this historical and theological context of The Sign of the Cross. Wow! This was an excellent presentation!
I have no words how beautiful you making your material. It's like with God you make it together.
Bless you laddie ❤
You have a teachers heart, and I love it. If I had teachers like you in school, I couldn't imagine failing anything haha.
Thank you for your time, I have never been taught this, and I've never considered that most things I do are ritualistic in nature.
If one is often habitually ritualistic, why not make them holy rituals and aid our walk.
Bless you.
Thanks for your kind words!
Amazing knowledge! I didnt know it was this old. I shall now practice it every day. Christ is King ✝️🙏
I just found your channel, and I’m so glad I did!!!
Loving the content and presentation brother …a Scottish High School Religious & Moral Philosophy teacher …with a degree in Church History… keep up the great work & God Bless 🙏
"I am a Protestant (Presbyterian), but I still use the Eastern Orthodox sign of the cross. I grew up in a non-denominational church where the sign of the cross wasn’t practiced. When I began studying theology, I converted to traditional Presbyterianism, but I chose to use the Eastern sign because it symbolizes more than the Western one. Anyway, great video!
Great content, really great channel - Thank you.
I love love love learning the origins of our Faith!
It would not surprise me if in the West we sign ourselves from left shoulder to the right for "elegance". Since we sign ourselves with the right hand, it seems logical to end on the right shoulder. I'm not saying one way is better than the other though. We also have another "sign of the cross". I don't know if other churches do it. Before reading the Gospel, we sign ourselves on the forehead, the mouth and the chest, asking that the Lord's Word remains in our minds, mouths and hearts.
Love your explanation. To me this way of performing the sign of the cross makes more sense to me even though being a Roman Catholic and appear different from my fellow parishioners, but feels more complete. My understanding of the western use of open hand symbolizes the five wounds of Christ. I get the western symbolism but feel the eastern way is in a way a “mini creed”. From what I learned, the eastern crossing from right to left meant to the right (the Son sits at the right hand of the Father) and to the left as being where the Holy Spirit sits. You are doing great work and will definitely share your channel. Many blessings to you!
Your background music is quite moving. Thank you for sharing your passion.
I am learning so much from your videos. Thank you 💞🙏🏼
Just found your channel. Good presentation. Thanks for taking the time to explain and illustrate this. Have you read the Didache? It is a first century document that also describes the sign of the cross, triple immersion baptism and other early Holy Traditions.
Didache episode coming up in a few days ;) Thanks for watching, John!
Thanks for the video. GOD bless.
Brilliant info!
What's with the background drums?!
Sounds like Papa Shango's entrance music...
Superb episode and excellent explanation about the why of the sign of the cross. Convinced me.
This has easily become one of my ☦-based YT channels.
If you could add subtitles, such as Russian, Romanian, Serbian, it would elevate this channel and make it more popular.
I've seen it done by some in the Anglican church when they take communion .
Oriental Orthodox Christians have always made the sign of the Cross using three fingers to represent the Holy Trinity like the Eastern Orthodox Church but going from head to stomach then from left shoulder to the right shoulder. Usually this motion can represent the Trinity itself or "God becoming Incarnate to turn sinners into saints." It's interesting to see the difference between the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox on this, and I wonder which is older or whether they have a common origin.
The common origin is clear, in that it is the same sign of the cross. The same general motion
As to which is older, tis a mystery of history. And there are other methods too. Like a smaller sign over the forehead, or just over the mouth. The main thing is, according to several Early Church Fathers (and some Protestant reformers actually) is to do it often!
I totally agree with you. but my 3rd movement is on the left shoulder.
Hey great video! The second passage you mention about the cross from Galatians, it's Gal. 14, not 4. God bless you and keep it up! The world needs such content, so people see how traditional Christian practice gives glory to God and conveys biblical truth.
Thank you this is very helpful. i sometimes get confused and how to do it correctly, left or right, but this is really helped. God bless you.
Amen thank you
Awesome content, brother.
I would like to request a video about the tragic schism and efforts for reunification through ecumenism between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Thank you and God bless you and your work.
Amazing as always
Thank you Matrona!
I hold my chest afterwards and it literally sends a holy chill
God bless you and ur family your teaching theology is amazing I am learning a lot thanks
Interesting in that the orthodox do it slightly differently than Catholics. The similarities between Catholics and orthodox are amazing. Much more similar than Protestants
I believe making the sign of the cross itself is a God sign of Christian unity. It marks us as unashamedly belonging to God thru Jesus the Christ and when we do it we dedicate our actions and our lives to the Lord. Praying for Christian unity.
Great video ❤
Hey mate, thank u this is brilliant! Very important and yet underrated practice
The sign of the cross is a prayer, a statement of faith, a statement of theological truth.
Christians have been practicing the sign of the cross longer than they’ve been reading the Bible [as a complete canon].
It is highly likely that this ancient Christian sign has been in practice since the events recorded in the Book of Acts, possibly instituted by Paul the Apostle.
In every relationship we have we engage in rituals (like shaking hands, waving, eating together at table), so it follows that the greatest relationship we have, the one between us and God, should have some of these rituals and symbols of our faith in Him.
Rituals are part of being human, and it’s important that being human is something we bring to God. If God became human, then surely the physical side of our faith is important to the spiritual side of our faith. And this [sign of the cross] is a physical outworking a spiritual truth.
Making the sign of the cross is about as rooted in the gospel as any celebration in the Christian Church (such as Christmas or Easter).
The sign of the cross isn’t the only thing from the early church that is missing in a lot of contemporary expressions of Christianity.
Making the sign of the cross is a way we bring our entire selves into connection with Jesus Christ. It is a sign of all of us connecting to Jesus Christ.
Our greatest love jesus christ God the father and the holy spirit amen ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Keep these wonderful videos coming thank you 🙏
Thank you for making this video. I am an inquiring protestant and I love to make the sign of the cross but I know it may be seen as superstitious or ritualistic to many people who do not understand it, this video gave me a ton of insight. It's interesting that it is described as a short "prayer" which is not something I ever realized. I love that it is so ancient it's possible that Jesus or the Apostles themselves could have done the sign of the cross after our Lord's resurrection. Also, the background music to this video is so groovy I couldn't help but dance haha! Blessings and peace.
Beautiful. I have been doing this sign and and yet not understanding it so thank you for explaining this
Wow! Never knew this. Thank you and God Bless!
Thank you for watching! God bless you too!
You have excellent content! Thank you! Please keep going!
One thing I never hear people taking about (probably due to Protestant/Modernist scholarship) is that the apostles spent time together and had liturgy together. We see this in Acts 1, 2, 15, etc. We also know that Jesus Himself spent 40 days with the apostles instructing them on how to build the church (Acts 1:3). It's quite possible that the sign of the cross was taught to them by Christ Himself or the apostles developed this practice together and shared it with one another. Is there evidence for this? Certainty - the early references to the sign of the cross, but more importantly I think is the fact that the sign of the cross is so widespread and universal in the Church from an early time. It would be hard to convince every Christian in the world to start doing it after centuries of established churches around the empire. It would make more sense if they all just received the same tradition from the very beginning.
Amazing summary on what is one of the most ancient traditions and rituals of the church. Even though I have been an Orthodox Christian my whole life, you are very good at explaining things that I already know in a way that I can explain them clearly to others who do not know about the faith. Well done again.😄
Hopefully in the next video #FreeTheTea will become #TheTeaIsFreed 🤣
Thanks, mate! And yeah, I've been making the sign of the cross for my whole life, but once you know a bit of WHY and just how old it is... wow. Mind-blowing
And yes, the tea will be drunk, next week Ban, next week 😆
@@Patristix I can't wait until next Wednesday!!! 😄👍
I love this so much!
When I was a non Christian I use to make the sign of the cross for protection before going on a plane or a amusement park ride lol with no understanding of it but but just that I am protected now I understand it fully !
Wonderful channel… thank you. I’ve also seen Orthodox priests end the sign of the cross by placing their hand on their heart. What do you think of that? Just wondering.
I love these videos! Keep them coming.
Good video.
Thank you!
I've heard somewhere that the difference between catholic and orthodox direction of making the sign is due to priest's blessing. When the priest is blessing people, he moves his hand from left to right (in both catholic and orthodox churches, if i'm not mistaken), it's just that catholic do it the same way, from left to right, while orthodox do it mirrored from priest.
What about the Old Believers? Wasn't the two finger practice even older than the three finger?
Amazing video you guys!
Thanks so much, friends! Making the sign of the cross is definitely one of the greatest traditions of Christianity. I was very excited to talk about it.
Beautifully done!! In the last couple of years I've gone back to the Catholic Church & of course, I'm TRYING to lead my family back as well. One thing I like to point out especially to my 13yo daughter is just like in the end when all of us receive a mark...either from God or from satan so now in the meantime, THIS (sign of the Cross) is our mark - our badge of honor - we are branded to the Lord. Did I explain that right?? Lol. Well, hopefully you understand what I'm trying to say. Sorry, more tea needed...😂
thank you for information and for romanian translation
You guys have the coolest videos.
@Patristix interesting that the earliest writing of this was third century. I’ve read some of the writing of Dionysius the Areopagite, and he mentioned signing oneself with the cross. Does the Orthodox Church not consider his writings as original? I am aware of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite; however, I was under the impression that most historians accepted the writings ga as original? And would have been place in the 60’s- 1st Century.
The honest answer is we hadn't come across the mention in Dionysius! We would have mentioned it whether pseudo or not.
@@Patristix I went back to read his work, and got more context. Where I read it was him discussing the mystery of illumination and he was describing how the priest “perfected it (the water) by three cruciform effusions of the altogether most pure Muron oil.” All that to say this may not pertain to what you were discussing in this video. Interesting stuff nonetheless. I beg your pardon for the obscure comment on my part. I love your videos. Thank you for all your work.
@@gracenroses7471 We also found in "The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy": The sign of the cross indicates the renunciation of all the desires of the flesh. It points to a life given over to the imitation of God unswervingly directed toward the divine life of the incarnate Jesus...
Had we known it at the time, either quote would have gotten a mention.
Thanks for the interesting pointers and kind comments!
@@Patristix yes!! Fantastic. That’s the section I was in too. Well, I’m glad you found more. That’s wonderful. God bless you! Thanks for the engagement. God bless you.
The first historical mention probably means it happened 100-200 years before. Interesting principle. Thanks for sharing. Also how we call it ancient now, but it was called ancient in the 3rd century. Think about that.
Awesome content about the sign of the cross. One suggestion about future videos is please consider not having wall-to-wall background music for the entire video. I know you are a film maker and you have your own style so take my suggestion with a grain of salt. In this particular video the music in the final minute or so was almost drowning out your speaking.
Amen
I always hear the explanation for the position of the hand but I've only heard once the explanation for the places that we touch. It's obvious that they form a cross but is it true that there's a deeper meaning for each place? The forehead meaning the Most High (the Father), the stomach meaning the Incarnation in the womb (the Son) and the shoulders meaning that it was made THROUGH the Holy Spirit?
I've also heard that Jesus is usually associated with the right hand of God and the Holy Spirit with the left hand of God. So if we mention each one at the time we touch each shoulder it could add even more meaning to the sign of the cross.
Is there a way to find the original way done by apostles with 1 finger?
Nice! Byzantine Catholics also do the sign of the cross this way.
good video
There's actually a lot of variety in how to do the Sign of the Cross. For some Latin American Catholics, they wrap the index finger around the thumb and let three fingers out. This represents the two natures, hypostatic union, and the Trinity. I know for some Greek speakers, they form the hand into the ICXC shape. The Russian Orthodox Church actually has St. Anna of Kashin who was canonized for not using the Sign of the Cross under Patriarch Nikon's reforms. Yeah, her canonization is weird.
What's the name of the song?
In the far east, (India) Catholics and Syrian orthodox say sign of cross from left to right. So difficult to stomach that statement that western church changed it in fourteenth century. India has no Russian or Greek influence, only Syrian and western Roman
I noticed some parishioners bending to the floor, and then coming up to finish the gesture during liturgy.
thank you for explaining the sign of the cross, i have mostly all ways done the sign right to left, i wasnt taught how to do it . but as our lord is seated at the right hand of the father
as we say father , son , holy spirit hope i am right also CONSTANTINE THE GREAT WAS shown the first cross in a dream a CROSS WITH A LETTER P IN THE MIDDLE GOD told him to paint it on his army,s shields this helped him win the last battle after he changed ROME from pagan to christians
in thanks to god amen
I love making the sign of the cross but fail to do it at a protestant funeral. They don't believe in it which makes me reluctant to do it. At home in the catholic Church not a problem. Any comment?
Please help, I am doing a study on the matter, can you refer me to a place in the Holy scriptures where this tradition is covered ?
The tradition started most probably just AFTER the events of Scripture. Some have suggested references to it in the Bible including a prophecy in Ezekiel 9:4, as well as possible reference in Revelation 7:3, 9:4, and 14:1. A reference could be perhaps seen to Christ making the sign in Luke 24:51, which says that He ascended "WHILE He blessed them".
The use of the open palm for the sign of the cross in the Latin tradition is representative of the 5 wounds of Christ.
nice
Do orthodox wet the tip of the finger when doing the sign of the cross(while entering a church)like Catholics do or not? I've seen them do it so I'm just curious
It's not an Orthodox tradition, no. We do also have many traditions regarding holy water though.