Why do catholics cross themselves

Thank you for this article! Fairly new to Anglicanism, learning to make the sign of the cross is not unlike wearing a necklace with a cross hanging from it. Thank you for explaining this. Still learning how the be an Anglican!

Thank you for the insightful article. In my country Anglicans do not ever make the sign of the cross. So when i married a Catholic, I struggled with whether he was doing the right thing, and worried aboutnthe ritualistic nature of many catholic practices.

Dear Greg. I was brought up believing the Catholic religion was a cult. So, kneeling, making the sign of the cross, and going to confession were taboo. Thank you for clarifying this for me. The sign of the cross on ones person. I have seen people do it as you say from forehead to middle of chest and side to side. If you take a moment and look at the motion.

You are actually doing a sign of an upside down cross. It use to be as we were taught to go from head to midsection to shoulders it seem more correct. My opinion. My late wife was Catholic but could not answer my question. In tv shows and movies, a person of faith finds a dead body and with a scared look quickly crosses themselves, I presume, to protect themselves. Is this just Hollywood or an actual act of faith? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Previous Next. We want to try to answer those kinds of questions, so here we go… Frequently Asked Questions about the Sign of the Cross What is the sign of the cross?

How do you do the sign of the cross? What is the correct way to cross yourself? What does it mean to cross yourself? Share This! About the Author: Anglican Pastor.

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This small variation among the Catholics is not normally highlighted because it is insignificant. However, it helps to point out that the Byzantine Catholics refers to a section of Catholics formally called Eastern Orthodox Christians who split in from Rome and were reintegrated in the 17 th century. The sign of the cross is made on several occasions including the onset of prayers and when one survives or escapes from a predicament.

There is so much symbolism in the sign of the cross and its worthwhile looking at a few of those. Making the sign of the cross symbolises profession of the creed. In short, you are proclaiming that you believe in the Trinity of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Whenever the sign of the cross is said in the words of the Holy Trinity, you are declaring the presence of God and that you are entering that presence. The sign of the cross is a declaration that you died with Christ and together with him rose again to a new life. When you make the sign of the cross in baptism, it has the same effect as Christian circumcision. It is a symbol of union between the Gentile converts and the Jews.

The sign serves as a linkage to the Body of Christ and every time you make the gesture, you are acknowledging that indeed you are joined with Christ who is the head of the Church, and you are the body. In the Book of Luke , Jesus outlined the prerequisite of becoming a disciple. Method 2. Hold your right thumb, index, and middle fingertips together.

In Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches, most people use the three-finger blessing. Tuck the other two fingers into the palm of your hand, representing the Two Natures of Jesus Christ meaning He is fully human and fully divine. Bring your hand from your forehead to the top of your stomach.

First bring your hand to your forehead, then down to your solar plexus. Some people place it on their chest instead, as in the Western tradition, but others are concerned that this makes an inverted cross, with a short lower end.

The inverted cross traditionally symbolizes humility, but has been used by anti-Christian groups. This is sometimes used during the Great Fast of Easter, or in times of great trial. Cross yourself from right to left. Unlike the Latin tradition, the Eastern cross starts at the right shoulder and ends on the left. This is a tradition from many centuries ago, and was once shared by the Western church. Recite a blessing. There are many ways to do this. Rosary Prayer Rosary in English.

Rosary in Latin. Not Helpful 9 Helpful When we make the Sign of the Cross, we form our fingers in one of several ways to form some aspect of the Holy Trinity or of Christ and His five wounds if we use all five fingers. In essence, to kiss our fingers afterward is to render a kiss to God. Not Helpful 6 Helpful Is it okay to make the sign of the cross during recessions and processions, or anytime the crucifix passes by? Leo Boivin. Even though there are times when the sign of the cross is mandatory, there are no particular moments when it is not proper.

Not Helpful 5 Helpful Am I allowed to cross myself if I am just a Christian without any affiliation? You are welcome to cross yourself even if you are not Catholic since it's a form of prayer.

However, I would highly recommend that you research the Sign of the Cross to truly understand what you are proclaiming through this action and prayer. I would also suggest you look into Catholicism since your desire to cross yourself may be a sign from God to join his Church. Not Helpful 15 Helpful Of course! You are welcome to pray as much or as little as you want after receiving Communion. Not Helpful 4 Helpful Would it be offensive if I were to cross myself while acting? I play a Catholic and don't want to offend anyone.

No, if you're playing a Catholic in the theatre you're allowed to cross yourself, as long as it's done properly and in the right context. Can I make the sign of the cross with my left hand if I am unable to do so with my right? Yes, the Church accommodates everyone regardless of their limitations or handicaps.

Moving priests make solemn signs over newly dead persons or penitents in the confessional, boxers make clumsy signs with their gloved fists, tonsured monks in medieval garb make the same gesture as a shorthand way of indicating that they are either superstitious or in the presence of some eerie portent, and there is nothing like a vivid sign of the cross made preferably with a raised crucifix to get Bela Lugosi as Dracula to turn away dramatically from a previously inviting neck.

The same sign is ubiquitous in Catholic piety. We begin our prayers with the sign of the cross. We use the thumb sign of the cross on forehead, lips, and breast before the reading of the gospel.

At the liturgy and in various sacramental rites, the priests trace the sign of the cross over persons and objects. It is a curious fact that the cross does not appear in Christian art until the fourth century, but the tracing of the cross on the forehead with thumb or index finger is found in popular Christian usage as early as the second century. The more expansive sign of the cross touching forehead, chest, and shoulders is first mentioned in the devotional life of Christians in the fifth century, but it was not until the early Middle Ages, largely through the influence of monasteries, that the gesture comes into general use.

By this time there was also a widespread custom of blessing in the form of a cross using the eucharist, the gospel book, or a reliquary. But we are so accustomed to making the sign of the cross that we may have never stopped to ask what the gesture means.