When they make the sign of the cross over themselves, they would do it, logically, the other way. As far as I know, the traditional up down left right, was supposed to be a symbol of Jesus descent from heaven to the Earth and him leading christians to the right path (from left to right). Additionally, it has further significance in that the Son sat at the right hand of the Father, not at His left. Answer (1 of 11): No, but not for the reasons you might think. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The slanted line reminds us of the two thieves on both sides of the cross. Without this spiritual insight, we could not understand the mystery of the Eucharist. Why do we cross ourselves? direction of reading and writing in Latin and Greek. In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, one God three Divine persons. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The formal and proper form of the sign of the cross includes the use of three fingers, especially when entering the church. The slanted line reminds us of the two thieves on both sides of the cross. Archpriest Seraphim Cardoza, is a former evangelical pastor who was drawn to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Did you ever take critical writing? Try wearing something this big, you know what? They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. Do you cross left to right or right to left. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. All rights reserved. He came down to Earth as Jesus other finds several symbolic explanations that are more or less If you do these things, you'll be in a state of grace, and as long as you remain in a state of grace, you'll go to heaven. I dontwant to go there! We trace ourselves with thatsign of the cross that Christ gave his life forus and was resurrected and so were unashamed ofthe sign of the cross, totally unashamed, we belongto our Lord Jesus Christ and this is what we do. 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 15th or 16th century. They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. This is the perfect example of why I think you are dishonest and hypocritical: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And these two fingers come down and touch our palm of ourhand: Jesus Christ the true God and true Man, a complete divine nature and a complete human nature. We dont pray to the saints instead of to God, just as any Christian does not ask his fellow Christians to pray for him instead of going directly to God with his concerns. Having become a marker of the What does that mean? Is this difference important? In a word, no. The Christian cross, with or without a figure of Christ included, is the main religious symbol of Christianity.A cross with a figure of Christ affixed to it is termed a crucifix and the figure is often referred to as the corpus (Latin for "body").. The most marked difference between a cross and a crucifix is the corpus or body of Christ on a crucifix. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. We do not have the authority to choose willy-nilly what parts of the Christina Tradition we want to follow. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. consubstantial and indivisible Trinity, while the ring finger and the The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". and our We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I recall reading that the Russian Old Rite crosses in the Latin way and it was during those reforms that the mainstream Russian Church adopted the way we know it at that time. In a word, YES. B. O'Connell, the sign of the cross is made as follows: "Place the left hand extended under the breast. It would depend on the community and culture we are worshiping in at the time. Support us by donating anything you can. The history of the Sign of the Cross is therefore also linked to that of the blessing. This is why when you spill salt you throw it over your left shoulder, into the eyes of your demon. Our worship is not merely mentalwe use all our senses, sight, smell, sound, taste and touch. THE RELIGION GUY'S ANSWER: Catholic and Orthodox parishioners make the "sign of the cross" before personal prayers, upon entering a church, at various points during worship, and otherwise. Or did you just like the slams the article took against Catholics, and you wanted to share that with us? Three major groups. Modern-day Elders' reflections on the Ancient Faith of the Christian Church (modern video Philokalia). 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. For further reading, see our tract and encyclopedia entry. All rights reserved. In Eastern (Orthodox) churches, you touch your right shoulder before your left shoulder. Why do the Orthodox make the sign of the cross from right to left? The Sign of the Cross is a gesture by which Christians signify the blessing of their person in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Why Roman Catholics have different sign of the cross than the Orthodox Catholics? thing is certain: the Sign of the Cross, whatever the direction in Then why become Orthodox? 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. And more importantly, I think, everytime we do it we proclaim God. Im curious as to why you care. The 21 Coptic Martyrs: More Orthodox Saints in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis Explains Why Catholics Make the Sign of the Cross. 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. God honors truthful belief and proper faith anywhere it is found. People of all faiths are welcome to attend Mass in a Catholic Church. Seraphim Cardoza) and an Evangelical Pastor (Perry Atkinson). What does the Bible say about sign of the cross? Before you quote somebody again, could you kindly reference it with the author's name, date and source. Well, the article you quoted already gives the reason why we Orthodox do it that way. You have entered an incorrect email address! Why Roman Catholics changed the apostolic tradition? Its no different than asking your own mother to pray for you. I thought it was also that the direction was different. How did they name the beaches at Normandy? The fullness of the faith is found here, the fullness of the truth is found here, and the fullness of worship is found here. Special thanks to theDoveTv for allowing this translation. Making the sign of the cross is not unique to OrthodoxyRoman Catholics also make the sign of the cross, as do many Protestants, including Anglicans/Episcopalians and some Lutherans (including Martin Luther himself). ), nor of olive oil or wine. http://www.orthodox.net/articles/about-crossing-oneself.html, Pope Francis Explains Why Catholics Make the Sign of the Cross, The 21 Coptic Martyrs: More Orthodox Saints in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis Adds Coptic Orthodox Martyrs to Liturgical Book of Saints. the right side is referred to in a preferential way many times in scripture and our sacred hymns What should we want to change? Orthodox cross themselves from right to left. that Christ is resurrected, not still on the cross and thus, (some believe) He should not be depicted that way. recognizing that one cannot validly bless oneself and that even in the In Western Christianity, you then touch your forehead, the center of your chest, your left shoulder, and your right shoulder. In the classic work, The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite by Adrian Fortescue and J. Put your thumb, forefinger, and middle finger together--this symbolizes the Trinity. The left to right started happening because people were mimicking the priest when he blesses the congregation. We are a 100% donor supported non-profit Christian ministry. PS: Is there any reason you dragged this discussion from the Orthodox Forum into the Catholic Forum Chanter? There are not now, nor have there ever been, any restrictions on the laity with regard to reading the Scripturesthey are, and always have been, encouraged to read them. Orthodoxy holds fast to what it has received throughout its existence as something received from Christ through the Apostles. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. We cannot answer as to their motivations. The Paisie Olaru Prayer for a safe journey (audio), Celebrating Easter during war | Memories of an old bishop | Justinian of Romania, Why and how do we cross ourselves? symbol, a physical, outward manifestation of a spiritual attitude. About Why do Catholics and Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross differently? Reddit, Inc. 2023. We cross our forehead so that the Word of God may be in our thoughts and purify our minds. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It serves as an abbreviated form of the Apostles' Creed. In the West, one then proceeds from the left shoulder to the right shoulder to finish the Sign of the Cross. *Just anecdotal* I heard the reason Orthodox cross themselves from right to left is because Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. We make if from right to left to mirror the actions of the priest when he blesses us. Is it important to cross ourselves a particular way? Why do Eastern Christians make the Sign of the Cross backwards? Christ never explicitly revealed any alternate paths to salvation except in His one Church. Is it important to cross ourselves a particular way? The sign of the cross is used in several Christian traditions, but it is most prominent in Catholic and Orthodox tradition. Competing Jewish denominations emerged, each one attempting to negotiate the relationship between Jewishness and modernity in its own way. The slanted line reminds us of the two thieves on both sides of the cross. The oriental and primitive tradition I appreciate that you asked as I wanted to know too, but never got around to looking into it .. Hmmm, I guess I never thought about that before For me it is a matter of habit. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The right hand, probably in part due to the fact that most people are right-handed, is traditionally the hand of blessing and greeting in many cultural settings, a convention found in Scripture and Tradition. It only makes sense that we should love someone who literally held God inside her for nine months. But I love the Church the way it is now! In addition, we fast during the entire Lenten period and the entire Advent period, as well as during other times during the year. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Where is the most peaceful place to live in Florida? Catholics make the sign of the cross with an open hand and from left to right, in contrast with the Orthodox. The tradition that has prevailed in the West and is customary among Latin Catholics is to make the Sign of the Cross by moving the fingers from top to bottom, then from left to right.Certain . Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. We cant use them interchangeably. The Scriptures always depict incense when they describe worship in Heaven (Is. When was the last time you called her Blessed among all women? The abrasions in question are consistent with injuries caused by carrying the cross on the shoulders. Since this church is the Saint Mark Greek Orthodox community, you will see an icon of Saint Mark there. Jesus calls us to take up [our] cross, and this is a visible identification with that command of our Lord. All Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox do as well, along with many high-church Anglicans and Lutherans (and a smattering of other Mainline Protestants). How do you move on from someone you love and still be friends? We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we fingers flat against our palm. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. human and divine of Christ. The Latin cross emoji depicts what is also known as the Christian cross, the most common symbol of Christian iconography. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Daniel Greesonfrdanielgreeson@gmail.com865-482-0088. 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 15th or 16th century. We need to be willing to die to our ambition, to our plans, to our choices that we have made in life. 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 15th or 16th century. Not really. Jesus said that when He had gone, His followers would fast. O Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and save us. At its heart is the very life of the faith. Placing the cross on oneself 1) We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we fingers flat against our palm. For additional apologetics resources please visit. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. You should know better. Incense wafting upwards symbolizes our prayer rising to God in heaven. 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 15th or 16th century. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. the earliest times. Even today, we use our right hand for handshakes or salutes, we are familiar with the phrase the right hand of fellowship and so forth. Report T tz620q Regular Member Supporter Apr 19, 2007 2,610 1,003 Carmel, IN 475,684.00 According to the Russian Orthodox tradition the feet are depicted as being nailed not at one point but individually at the two sides of the footrest. Most Eastern Christians do it in a different order: From top to bottom and then from right to left. mirror: the blessing given by the priest or the bishop reproduces the In Eastern Christian traditions, the opposite direction is taken. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Thats okay, I mean, that thats okay. Priests make the sign not only during the sacraments but use it to impart blessings on people or objects. the Church. Catholics do not pray to Mary as if she were God. At some point, the Roman priests turned around to face the congregation instead of facing east with the congregation. Privacy Policy. He came down to earth and humbled Himself and weput this in the devils face, we put everything webelieve right in his face, we put it right there, And I am telling you I have seen morewonderful powerful things happening over that. Roman Catholics make the sign of the cross in the following order: The right hand moves from top (forehead) to bottom (chest) and then from left (left shoulder) to right (right shoulder). Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We finish placing the cross on ourself by touching our left shoulder. Then bend your ring finger and pinky finger down so that they touch the palm of your hand. 6:4; Rev. Rev. Serafim of Romania | otelders, Miracles and Tears | Building an Orthodox Monastery | Fr. Other And this is what explains the Eastern We cannot answer as to their motivations. They touch their right shoulder first, then their left, whereas the Roman Catholics first touch their left shoulder. St. Cyprian explained the ritual in the 3rd century by reference to Christs redemptive death on the cross. Talkto Polinas grandfather about the cross, how hesuffered for the cross Someday get her to tell astory of her grandfather and how they beat him andbeat him, how they treated him because he wouldnttake off his cross and how when they exiled himand came back he put on his cross again and theybeat him again, You see me doing this Perry its because Im Portuguese and sometimes my tonguegets a little bit out of control and Im also a former Marine andtheres theres words that are still swirling backthere And thatsthe Jesus prayer. . the right side is referred to in a preferential way many times in scripture and our sacred hymns What should we want to change? The point, it must be confessed, is not entirely clear . By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Indeed, in the beginning, Christians crossed themselves from top to bottom and then from right to left. Rather, we enlist Saints, along with the rest of the Church, to pray to God to hear us and have mercy on us. Sign of the Cross is a gesture by which Christians signify the blessing Placing the cross on oneself 1) We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we fingers flat against our palm. The Bible is the Churchs book. Much the same as you would ask your friends, family or other Christians to pray for you, we ask the saints to intercede on our behalf. For example, Jesus places the sheep on his right hand but the goats on his left; he himself is seated at the right hand of the Father; at Gods right hand are blessings forevermore; and so on. Did you even read the dang link you posted here in this thread? In the west, on the other hand, crossing yourself from left to right is drawing on the armor of the Lord. 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. To clarify, fasting doesn't mean giving up all food and water. of the Cross by moving the fingers from top to bottom, then from left to A . There are other examples of this right side preference. In fact, the right to left practice is likely the oldest. As Christ passed from death to life and sits at the right hand of the Father (left to right), so too may we pass from death to life in Christ through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. While it may be possible to be saved outside the normal boundaries of the historic Church Jesus Christ foundedthe Orthodox Churchit is not something that should be counted on. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. When they make the sign of the cross over themselves, they would do it, logically, the other way. The Bible records, Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. It What was the purpose of all your education? Jesus answered: "I had on My Shoulder, while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievous Wound which was more painful than the others and which is not recorded by men.". Lordhave mercy! The 13th Century Pope. 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. However, here's a guess. orthodox.net/articles/about-crossing-oneself.html, Why do Orthodox Christians cross themselves different than Roman Catholics? The idea that the Church should fundamentally change its worship according to the tastes and culture of the world is foreign to us. The Cross: weapon against the How Saint Paisios healed my friend from cancer | Self-sacrifice in prayer, Miracles of Saint Porphyrios in Greece | Direct witness | Elder Christodoulos, St. Porphyrios in Italy: the conversation with the Catholic nuns | A beautiful testimony, The 3 crowns of Elder Ephraim and how the U.S. will lose its superpower status, St. Paisios performs a miracle with Kostas (wheelchair user) on Mount Athos, O Heavenly King (Fr. To the left of her is usually an icon of that parish's patron saint. Mary stands witness that Jesus Christ is fully human, even while being fully God. What does thatmean? Crossing oneself is a tradition, small t. It isnt a doctrine or a factual assertion. Much of the content of Orthodox worship services consists of readings from the Scriptures, especially the Psalms. They have no clue that it has always been fromday one Oh, I love the early Church! Our BTC address: 3BFUBGtPYy7kWgRKWfxVnbgFsUB49tpTYU. What percentage of offspring would be expected to have short whiskers? Christianity, and it is striking that its evolution has followed that of These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. practice, which is still prevalent in the Eastern Christian world. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The Cross: weapon against the devil | Orthodox vs Evangelical, An atheist philosopher becomes Christian | Fr. Roman Catholics arent the only Christians who make the Sign of the Cross. The Latin, or Christian cross, has an elongated vertical arm and a shorter horizontal arm. So why do Roman Catholics make it from left to right? Our fathers, and countless saints crossed themselves from right to left. The term Greek cross designates a cross with arms of equal length, as in a plus sign, while the Latin cross designates a cross with an elongated . Revelation 7:2-4 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. CharacterUse 4 yr. ago | Lent | Death of shallowness (Fr. In blessing, the clergy write the cross on those whom they bless. We only cross ourselves with our RIGHT hand. 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. Other Western Christians, e.g., Lutherans, Anglicans, Episcopalians, and some Presbyterians follow the same pattern because they inherited it from the Western Church. They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. to right, dictating the original direction of the Sign of the Cross One of them to the right of Christ ascended to Heaven, while the other one sank to Hell. It does not store any personal data. THE RELIGION GUY'S ANSWER: Fasting is one of many tools that we use to bring our bodies under subjection as St. Paul said (I Cor. only three fingers were used, and the hand traveled from the right shoulder to the left. How and why Catholics make the sign of the cross? It wasnt that way from thebeginning. 3 What is the symbolism of making the sign of the cross? They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. I can't remember the name of it. This is off topic. To the right of the Christ icon is St. John the Baptist, the one who prepared the way for Jesus' earthly ministry. I noticed in Byzantine as well as Orthodox services Christians touch the right shoulder before the left. One The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The Eastern Orthodox custom is also to make the motion from right to left. Cookie Notice Christian Congregations (Christians Only). Starting at 8 a.m. But is it in the Latin direction or the orthodox direction? One of them to the right of Christ ascended to Heaven, while the other one sank . We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. BAChristian Report thereselittleflower Well-Known Member Nov 9, 2003 34,832 1,524 42,835.00 Faith Catholic Nov 18, 2003 On the right hand side Now you got it,in the name of the Father and of the Son (onthe right hand side) and of the Holy Spirit. Lord have mercy on me! Hi Chanter . If anybody cares, I think on this very forum somebody posited a reason to do it the oposite way: God was in Heaven Our fathers, and countless saints crossed themselves from right to left. | Hold on to what is divine Did God ask for human sacrifices? take place in the West in the 18th century. You seem to be quite knowledgeable about this. For all these reasons, it is natural that the sign of the cross has traditionally been made with the right hand. The Russian Orthodox cross differs from the Western cross. in the West and is customary among Latin Catholics is to make the Sign Pope Innocent III (11981216) explained: The sign of the cross is made with three fingers, because the signing is done together with the invocation of the Trinity. practice of the Sign of the Cross: by reproducing as in a mirror the When they make the sign of the cross over themselves, they would do it, logically, the other way. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The hand that blesses thus traces the Sign of the Cross toward the faithful from top to bottom and from left to right. Most Eastern Christians do it in a different order: From top to bottom and then from right to left. the middle finger and the little finger slightly folded. The cross usually has three crossbeams, two horizontal and the third one is a bit slanted. 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. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. And we cross our hearts to invite God to strengthen our love for Him and others. Why and how do we cross ourselves? Its because the Orthodox Church actually produced the Bible. In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, one God three Divine persons. Daniel's Blog, Glory to God for all Things - Fr. The act of Placing the cross on oneself is a request for a blessing from God. We cannot answer as to their motivations. In Orthodox churches, we love to venerate things: the icons, relics of the Saints, the Cross, and the hand of the priest. The "Placing the cross on oneself" We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we fingers flat against our palm. Thus the action represents the transition from misery to glory, from death to life, and from hell to paradise. [In the eleventh century] the manner of making [the sign of the Cross] in the West seems to have been identical with that followed at present in the East, i.e. We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we fingers flat against our palm. #1 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 15th or 16th century.
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