When do you make the sign of the cross?

[Momzilla]

This is sort of a general question... in daily life (i.e., not during church services), when do you cross yourself? Are there certain times or certain events that prompt you to do it?

I'm just curious. At Fr. Marcus' direction, I am incorporating more prayer into my daily life. I found a great prayer to say before beginning work each day, and I'm wondering if I'm supposed to cross myself at the end, when I say "in the name of the Father, etc." Crossing myself still feels awkward.

 

[r9703410]

Only when I really need something or something terrifies me.

Example... 9/11
or when I really need God to listen.



-PIXIE

 

[Oblio]

At a minimum, you should cross yourself when the name of the Holy Trinity is prayed.

 

[ThereseTheLittleFlower]

You have In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in Orthodox also? I didn't know that, I know that you cross yourself, but it is done differently the way we do it.

God Bless!

Renee

 

[Oblio]

I didn't know that, I know that you cross yourself, but it is done differently the way we do it.

Ya'll do it backwards

Oh, we also sweep our hand to the ground after the sign. Not sure if you do that.

 

[Orthosdoxa]

I do it all the time - when using the name of the Trinity, when the ambulance goes screaming by, just whenever. The Cross was the weapon used to defeat the evil one - we should invoke the sign of it often!

 

[Reader Nilus]

You also should make the sign of the cross when you pass by a graveyard in honor of the righteous who are reposing there.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Oblio]

, I almost forgot to mention since our Temples are few and far between here in the USA ...

When passing in front of an Orthodox Temple, as Christ is present in the reserved Eucharist on the Altar Table.

 

[Matthias]

I make the sign of the cross whenever I pray to God.

 

[Photini]

when I say "in the name of the Father, etc." Crossing myself still feels awkward.

I cross myself before, during and at the closing of prayers (and whenever else I can...as often as I remember). Don't worry, it will feel awkward for just a little while. But you will find the sign of the Cross to be quite the weapon, and also a great comfort.

 

[KennySe]

, I almost forgot to mention since our Temples are few and far between here in the USA ...

When passing in front of an Orthodox Temple, as Christ is present in the reserved Eucharist on the Altar Table.

I also cross myself when passing a Catholic Church, for Christ is present in the Eucharist within the tabernacle.

(Sidenote: On Good Friday, on entering my local Catholic church building, I did NOT genuflect and then make the Sign of the Cross, because there is NO Eucharist in the tabernacle on this one day of the year.)

 

[Nikolas222]

During the Divine Liturgy, you must cross yourself many times at specific moments. I do my cross no matter what when the trinity is spoken and before i kiss the ikons at the pangoti

 

[Moros]

I make a habit of it whenever I'm watching TV or a movie and they blaspheme.

 

[nicodemus]

In addition to what others have listed...

before & after eating
before setting out and after arriving

 

[Momzilla]

Hmmm... I rarely pass by the Orthodox church downtown, but I pass by the Catholic church every morning on my way to work. Should I cross myself as I pass b/c of the eucharist in the tabernacle?

 

[Matrona]

I cross myself (the Orthodox way, of course) when going past a Catholic church.

When I visited Chartres and Notre Dame cathedrals very soon after becoming Orthodox, I felt the presence of God there, even though I had no idea what was going on.

 

[OrthodoxSeeker]

...when do you cross yourself?

AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

Warm regards,
Douglas

 

[MariaRegina]

The Greek/Antiochian Orthodox and the Russian/OCA Orthodox tend to make the Sign of the Cross a little differently. Rule of thumb: do what the other parishioners are doing and ask your priest if you get confused.

Since many Greek/Antiochian Churches have pews, they cannot bow to the ground and touch the floor. Otherwise there would be a lot of sore heads.

So, the Greek/Antiochian Orthodox first touch the ground, then while they are arising, they make the sign of the Cross first touching their foreheads (IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER) , then stomach, then their right shoulder (AND THE SON), followed by their left shoulder (AND THE HOLY SPIRIT) with the RIGHT hand. The fingers of the hand are held differently from the latins who use an open palm. The thumb, index and middle fingers form a point (representing the Holy Trinity - three Divine Persons in One Godhead) while the pinky and the ring finger are folded into the palm of the hand (representing the natures of Christ = True God and True Man).

The OCA and Russian Orthodox Churches make the Sign of the Cross first, then they bow down and touch the floor. However, touching the floor is not done with every sign of the Cross.

For example, during the singing of the Creed, we sign at the following words without touching the ground:

I believe in One God ...
Who together with the Father and Son is worshipped and glorified ...
and in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church ...

We also sign at the words during the Doxology (matins), here we usually do touch the floor as in petition to help us obey His Commandments:

Teach me to observe Thy Statutes.
Teach me to obey Thy Commandments, etc.

During the Divine Liturgy

At the Trisagion during the words:
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal Have mercy on us.

At the Glory Be: Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit

Before and after the reading of the Gospel.

During the words of consecration and at the Epicleisis (if we are not making a full prostration). It's rather impossible to sign while on the floor in a prostration.


When approaching to receive Holy Communion, before reaching the Priest

Blessed be the name of the Lord (3 times the Sign is made with each repetition)

All together (not counting the times during the Lord have mercy and Grant it O Lord)
the Orthodox make the Sign about 33 times during the Divine Liturgy.

The Russian/OCA churches additionally make the Sign during the Litanies when the people and the choir sing: Lord have mercy, Grant it O Lord.

Hope this helps,
Elizabeth

P.S. If I'm wrong, please correct me. I just recently was told that the Catholics touch their chests, while the Orthodox make a larger sign of the Cross by touching their stomach. In fact, the reason why the Greeks start the sign ofthe Cross by touching the floor is so that their whole body is involved in making the Sign of the Cross-- to sanctify their entire body through the Cross.

 

[Kripost]

Just another question:

When "Commemorating our most Holy, pure, most blessed, glorified Lady......." is said, do you make the Sign of the cross like the Greeks?

 

[MariaRegina]

Just another question:

When "Commemorating our most Holy, pure, most blessed, glorified Lady......." is said, do you make the Sign of the cross like the Greeks?

Yes, I do. And we bow toward her icon. Whenever we venerate an icon, we also make the sign of the cross with a deep bow called the metania.


BTW, if experiencing a vision or a miracle, the Orthodox will always make the sign of the Cross.

I heard a Catholic Priest likewise admonish his flock to make the Sign of the Cross whenever any miraculous event or apparition occurred just in case it is of the devil -- the devil will then flee.