The Sign of the Cross

The sign of the Cross is the original and most often used symbol and prayer of the Christian faith. It is the symbol of victory over evil. It is the symbol of power and perseverance. It is the symbol of reconciliation and peace between God and Man. It is the symbol of Salvation. When as Orthodox Christians we make the sign of the Cross upon ourselves, we express a brief but most vital prayer.

Orthodox Christians cross themselves from right to left. First place the 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 and express our faith in the divine and human natures of Christ.

Next touch your forehead (that God may bless our thoughts), then our chest (that He may bless our feelings and desires), tracing the vertical part of the cross. From our chest, bring your hand up to our right shoulder, touching it (that He may bless our actions) and finish placing the cross on yourself by touching our left shoulder. 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. As we make the sign of Cross on ourselves we can pray- "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."