Making the sign of the cross is as ancient as the Bible. For those who could not write in ancient times, the Tau (looks like a cross) was used much like signing with an X. After the first destruction of the temple, the Tau is believed to be the sign by which Jews were sealed. When Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and Omega", the translation to Ancient Hebrew would be "I Am the Aleph and the Tau". The Aleph is the Head of an Ox, and the Tau, again is a cross. Once the early church began, believers used a secret sign to identify themselves to other believers. They would draw the sign of the cross in the sand or they would cross themselves. Pharissees of the day changed the Tau so that it no longer looked like a cross, such was their outrage over the use by Christians. It is likely that it will be the Tau that will be used to seal the believers during the tribulation. This is the origin and the future of the sign of the cross and should not be mocked.
See how handy traditon can be?
Lisa