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When I "moved" from Catholicism to Lutheranism, I was pleasantly surprised by the GREAT similarities in customs. One of these was the sign of the Cross.
In Catholicism, this is done primarily at the mention of the Trinity and at the reception of the Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist. But, like so many things in Catholicism, some seem to do it at all kinds of times.
It took me months before I noticed that not all Lutherans do this alike! Some were following the typical Catholic practice - going from head to heart (the vertical part of the Cross), then from left to right (for the horizonal part of the Cross), then often to the center to end. But some where doing it backwards! When I asked by pastor about this, he commented that in Luthers day, it was common to do the right to left as is still the practice among Eastern Orthodox Christians, but for reasons he had forgotten (he's a former Catholic), Catholics changed it. Lutherans just didn't. But, he stressed, the Catholic style is simply far better known in the west and many Lutherans do it the newer, Western way - and that's okay, too. He told me he learned in Lutheran seminary that either is okay. And so he's never bothered to "instruct" people - one way or the other, but he does it the eastern way.
This is from Why do Orthodox Christians "cross themselves" different than Roman Catholics?
I've changed to the Eastern, right-to-left form, but I return to the center at the end (a kind of blend of the two, perhaps). But I agree with my Lutheran pastor and disagree with this Orthdox article that it matters. It's simply an act of remembrance of our Baptism and an affirmation of the Trinity - it's just custom. It can be done variously - or not at all (as is also the custom of some in my church).
I found one thing in the Orthodox article interesting. The Priest there does it backwards so that the congregation doesn't need to reverse it! Interesting! In any case, in an unfamiliar congregation, I often tend to follow the minister. If he does it, I do it - together with him. My Lutheran pastor is pretty generous with the Signs - so I am, too.
What's the practice of your pastor? Of the people in your Lutheran church?
.
When I "moved" from Catholicism to Lutheranism, I was pleasantly surprised by the GREAT similarities in customs. One of these was the sign of the Cross.
In Catholicism, this is done primarily at the mention of the Trinity and at the reception of the Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist. But, like so many things in Catholicism, some seem to do it at all kinds of times.
It took me months before I noticed that not all Lutherans do this alike! Some were following the typical Catholic practice - going from head to heart (the vertical part of the Cross), then from left to right (for the horizonal part of the Cross), then often to the center to end. But some where doing it backwards! When I asked by pastor about this, he commented that in Luthers day, it was common to do the right to left as is still the practice among Eastern Orthodox Christians, but for reasons he had forgotten (he's a former Catholic), Catholics changed it. Lutherans just didn't. But, he stressed, the Catholic style is simply far better known in the west and many Lutherans do it the newer, Western way - and that's okay, too. He told me he learned in Lutheran seminary that either is okay. And so he's never bothered to "instruct" people - one way or the other, but he does it the eastern way.
This is from Why do Orthodox Christians "cross themselves" different than Roman Catholics?
Why do Orthodox Christians "cross themselves" different than Roman Catholics?
They touch their right shoulder first, then their left, whereas the Roman Catholics first touch their left shoulder. Is this difference important? Does it make any difference?
Orthodox cross themselves from right to left. first we will describe the mechanics of making the cross, then explain why it is indeed important that we make the sign of the cross correctly.
"Placing the cross on oneself"
The act of "Placing the cross on oneself" is a request for a blessing from God. We make if from right to left to mirror the actions of the priest when he blesses us. The priest, looking at the parishioners, blesses from left to right. Therefore, the parishioners, putting on the sign of the cross on themselves, do it from right to left.
- We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we fingers flat against our palm. The three fingers together represent the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the two fingers in the palm represent the two natures of Christ.
- We touch our forehead, then our belly, tracing the vertical part of the cross.
- From our belly, we bring our hand up to our right shoulder, touching it.
- We finish placing the cross on ourself by touching our left shoulder.
Because the Lord separated the sheep from the goats, putting the faithful sheep on His right side, and the goats on the left, the Church always treats the right side as the preferred side. We only cross ourselves with our RIGHT hand. The priest, when blessing a person, first touches or points to their RIGHT side, then their left. Also the censing of the Holy Table in the Altar is always done from the RIGHT side first; censing of the Ikonostasis, the Congregation and of the Church itself always begins with the right side. The priest always gives communion with his RIGHT hand, even if he is left handed. There are other examples of this right side preference.
When a parent makes the sign of the cross over a child, they will cross them from left to right, just as the priest blesses. When they make the sign of the cross over themselves, they would do it, logically, the other way.
The Catholic Encyclopedia states that in the Roman Catholic Church, the faithful crossed themselves from right to left, just as the Orthodox do, until the 16th century. They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. We cannot answer as to their motivations.
Is it important to cross ourselves a particular way? In a word, YES. We do not have the authority to choose willy-nilly what parts of the Christina Tradition we want to follow. Our fathers, and countless saints crossed themselves from right to left. Ancient icons show Christ or bishops beginning a blessing from right to left. the right side is referred to in a preferential way many times in scripture and our sacred hymns What should we want to change?
I've changed to the Eastern, right-to-left form, but I return to the center at the end (a kind of blend of the two, perhaps). But I agree with my Lutheran pastor and disagree with this Orthdox article that it matters. It's simply an act of remembrance of our Baptism and an affirmation of the Trinity - it's just custom. It can be done variously - or not at all (as is also the custom of some in my church).
I found one thing in the Orthodox article interesting. The Priest there does it backwards so that the congregation doesn't need to reverse it! Interesting! In any case, in an unfamiliar congregation, I often tend to follow the minister. If he does it, I do it - together with him. My Lutheran pastor is pretty generous with the Signs - so I am, too.
What's the practice of your pastor? Of the people in your Lutheran church?
.