www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Sign of the cross right or left shoulder first

I'm not sure if this has been discussed in here already but I'm open for discussion.
It's obvious that we all know how the East and West both bless themselves.
I once read that when the priest blessed the congregation he went to his left first and the congregation facing the priest went to their right soulder.
Let me comment by saying that both are valid.
Does anyone have info on this ?

Dominvs Vobiscvm

Et cum spirito tuo.

Intrigued,

yes, the faithful mirror image the Sign of the Cross made by the priest to receive his blessing. Now there are other explanations as well.

An explanation of the Sign of the Cross given in a leaflet I picked up from the Greek-Melkites states that the Eastern form was the original form. The right shoulder was touched first because the Son sits at the right hand of the Father, and the right represents good while the left represents evil.

Also, I believe I read somewhere else, perhaps in one of Joseph Raya's books, that the action of moving the arm from right to left across the breast represents a pushing away of evil by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Interestingly, the Sign of the Cross in the Eastern form was that which was directed explicitly by Pope Innocent III in the thirteenth century. The change in direction came about later, as people mirrored the direction of the priest as he blessed them.

I have gotten used to using the Eastern form now, and even in the Roman Mass still mix up the two. I definitely prefer the Eastern form.

I would like to know if ECs pray the same prayer as they cross themselves as RCs do: "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen." Also, when one is making a bow, sometimes numerous bows, are these same words being prayed? For instance, when one enters the Church and kisses the Holy Icons. I want to be lovingly attentive to any proper wording. Thanks for your insights.

In Christ and the Theotokos,

Tammy

Dear Tammy:

I think among the Oriental Orthodox (particularly the Copts and Armenians) and the Maronites they sign the cross left to right like Latins do?

Amado

Dear Amadeus,

Yes, the Oriental Orthodox Christians go to the left first and then to the right - this means that Christ has brought us from the darkness of sin into the Light of His salvation and deification!

The Copts often use one finger to indicate "One Divine Nature of God the Word Incarnate."

The Ethiopians join the index finger to the thumb to indicate Christ and slightly bend the other three to indicate the Trinity.

What could you tell us about the Western practice of using the thumb for "O God come to my assistance" etc.?

Do RC's still do that after the Sign of the Cross, or only before the reading of the Gospel?

Alex

Dear Tammy,

I have also heard from RC sources that the direction changed in the people for the same reason you quoted above. I have also heard that perhaps it evolved as being a distinct way of differentiating themselves from the East.

I think that both ways are nice. It is cute though that no matter where I am in attendance at a RC mass,(even in as big a church as St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC) I note that the celebrant notices that I am crossing differently. Hopefully, that is a good ecumenical gesture.

I also notice on Sundays that the RC spouses of some of my Greek Orthodox brethren also cross themselves their way.

As far, as saying 'In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit', that is the same prayer said with the sign of the cross in both traditions.

The sign of the cross, in both traditions, is such a powerful prayer. I lament that I do not see it done very much these days in public, either by Orthodox or Catholics.

When my family flies, we ALWAYS do the sign of the cross on take off, and I noted that in Greece, nobody did, (save a few old ladies once in a while), and that in the US, I have never seen any RC do this either.

Once, however, my husband was sitting next to a convert to Roman Catholicism on a flight here in the U.S., and after he signed the cross, she drummed up a religious/spiritual conversation with him, because of it.

She said that she thought that was very, very nice that he did that. I have a feeling that she is now signing her cross (albiet in the Western form) on every flight she goes on too!

In Christ,
Alice

Dear Alice,

Actually, Sister in Christ, the Slavic Orthodox tradition also uses the Jesus Prayer to make the Sign of the Cross.

The Old Believers ONLY use the Jesus Prayer and never the Trinitarian invocation.

One goes to the forehead and says, "Lord" to indicate Christ is our Head and the Head of the Church Who was eternally begotten of the Father.

Then one goes to one's stomach and says, "Jesus Christ" to indicate that the Son of God "bent the heavens" and came down to earth and was made man in the womb of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Then to the right to indicate that after His preaching, suffering, death and resurrection, He ascended to the Right Hand of God the Father and sat down there as His Equal.

Then to the left to indicate that He will come again to judge our good and evil works and to ask for His Mercy on us.

When we pass by a Church and at other times, the Slavic tradition indicates to cross ourselves using the Jesus Prayer.

Alex

Dear Alice:

Your observation confirms mine! I have noticed so many RCs here in the U.S. have forgotten to make the sign of the cross before flying.

But immigrants like me still do it: before, during, and after ANY trip. Especially in flight because I really am afraid of flying. My wife and I usually pray the Rosary then. (Drop me on a ship anytime!)

But you would espy some, if not most, Hispanic major league baseball players crossing themselves before batting. For what purpose I can only speculate!

Amado

Dear Amado,

An excellent observation!

The early Christians signed the Cross before taking a bath (I suppose the tubs were very deep then ).

In the Ukrainian tradition (yes, the one that's apparently dying out in North America . . .) we cross ourselves before drinking anything and if bread should fall on the ground we pick it up and kiss it while making the Sign of the Cross.

We bless our food with the sign of the Cross or else, as in the Carpathians, with a spoon.

The term "Bless You" used to be, as I understand, said while making the Sign of the Cross over someone as they sneezed.

This was to ward off evil spirits that might decided to enter into a person during the split second when one's attention is taken away by the sneezing . . .

Bless you!

Alex

Dear Alex,

Yes, those who recite the Liturgy of the Hours still make the Sign of the Cross on their lips while praying "God, Come to my assistance, O Lord, make haste to help me," prior to the Office of Matins.

The prayer said before the Gospel reading at Mass is, "May Your Word be in my mind, and on my lips, and in my heart."

In Christ and the Theotokos,

Tammy

Dear Tammy,

Thanks for that information. When I'm at a Latin Mass, I do as the Latins do.

You know, when in Rome . . .

Alex

Dear Alex,

Thank you for some more 'very cool' information about the Slavic traditions!

At the end of a prayer, do you also cross with the Jesus Prayer?

At the end of prayers in the Greek Orthodox tradition, we always say, "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen", (Eis to onoma tou Patros kai tou Yiou kai tou Ayiou Pnevmatos, Amin) with the sign of the cross.

In Christ,
Alice

Dear Revered Sister Alice,

We certainly have the option of doing so.

When the schism of the Old Believers occurred in Russia over the Sign of the Cross and whether to use the Trinitarian vs the Jesus Prayer, the Orthodox decided to, in effect, fuse the two traditions.

So as indicated in the priest's Horologion, one would begin by crossing oneself three times invoking the Trinity and then follow up with three Jesus Prayers done in the same way.

St Peter Mohyla, Metropolitan of Kyiv, published a catechism in which he laid down that the Jesus Prayer must always be said immediately after the Sign of the Cross with the Trinitarian invocation.

We would always end our prayers with the Trinitarian invocation, but first comes the dismissal prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, by the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, Saints ___ and all Your Saints, have mercy and save me a sinner. Amen - with the Sign of the Cross.

Very often, when the Sign of the Cross is a "stand alone" prayer, such as when we walk by a Church, we would use the Jesus Prayer when crossing ourselves.

On Athos and elsewhere, of course, the Jesus Prayer is used with the Sign of the Cross when making prostrations many times daily.

Alex

In the Latin Mass, just before the reading of the Gospel, the Lay make small cross signs on their forehead, their lips and their hearts and recite "Glory to You, O Lord"

Do the EC and/or EO's do this as well ?

In the Hispanic Countries we ussually say "For the sign of the Holy Cross, from our enemies, release us Lord, Our God" this making a cross on the forehead, another on the lips and another on our chest, and finally cross ourselves saying "In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost". I'm not sure is this prayer is used in other countries.

God Bless