Sign of the Cross in Orthodoxy. History of the Sign of the Cross

ABOUT THE SIGN OF THE CROSS AND THE NATURAL CROSS

P Why is it important to make the sign of the cross?

When performing the sign of the Cross on himself, a Christian, firstly, remembers that he is called to follow in the footsteps of Christ, enduring sorrows and hardships for his faith in the name of Christ; secondly, he is strengthened by the power of the Cross of Christ to fight evil in himself and in the world; and thirdly, he confesses that he is awaiting the appearance of the glory of Christ, the Second Coming of the Lord, which itself will be preceded by the appearance in heaven of the sign of the Son of Man, according to the Divine words of the Lord Himself (Matthew 24:30): by this sign, according to the unanimous understanding of the Fathers Church, there will be a majestic appearance in the sky of the Cross.

How to make the sign of the cross correctly?

According to the tradition currently accepted by the Russian Orthodox Church, parts can be folded in two ways to perform the sign of the cross:

1) Three-finger - the first three fingers (thumb, index and middle) of the right hand are folded together, and the last two (ring and little fingers) are pressed to the palm; make the sign of the cross with three fingers folded.

2) Double-fingered (this is how they were baptized until the 17th century) - the first two fingers (index and middle) are pressed against each other and extended, slightly bending the middle finger, and the other three (thumb, ring and little fingers) are folded together; make the sign of the cross with two outstretched fingers.

Making the sign of the cross, folded fingers are placed first on the forehead - to sanctify the mind, then on the womb (stomach) - to sanctify internal feelings, then on the right and left shoulders - to sanctify bodily forces. Lowering your hand, bow. In this way they depict the Calvary Cross on themselves and worship it.

The lower end of the cross cannot be placed on the chest, since in this case the result is an inverted cross - its lower end becomes shorter than the upper. The sign of the cross must be performed meaningfully and with a prayerful invocation of the Lord.

You cannot make the sign of the cross hastily, carelessly, without touching your forehead with your fingers, but only by moving your hand in its direction. “Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord carelessly” (Jer. 48:10).

About those who signify themselves with all five, or bow before finishing the cross, or wave their hand in the air or across their chest, St. JohnChrysostom said: “The demons rejoice at that frantic waving.” . On the contrary, the sign of the cross, performed correctly and slowly, with faith and reverence, frightens demons, calms sinful passions and attracts Divine grace.

What is the meaning of the sign of the cross?

The sign of the cross, placed on oneself or depicted on oneself with the movement of the hand, is a silent, but open, confession of faith.

The first three fingers folded together express faith in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit as the Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity, and the two fingers bent to the palm mean that the Son of God after descending to earth became Man, being God, that is, this expresses two natures Jesus Christ - Divine and human.

The sign of the cross reminds:

That the Son of God laid down His soul on the Cross in order to redeem the human race from sin and eternal death, therefore everyone must strive to lay down his soul for his brothers. In other words, the sign of the cross reminds us of God’s endless love for the human race and the duty of love of every person to God and to each other;

Secondly, about the insignificance of everything temporary, perishable and about the greatness of the blessings prepared for believers by the love of Him Crucified for them in the Kingdom of Heaven;

Thirdly, about the unity of all Christians redeemed by the Cross;

Fourthly, about the unceasing gracious omnipresence of the Lord and His almighty power;

And, fifthly, about the undoubted fulfillment of all the promises of the Redeemer contained in the Gospel.

What power does the image of the sign of the cross have?

The sign of the cross gives the soul strength and strength to drive away and defeat evil and do good. And this, of course, is the case if they perform the sign of the cross with faith, reverence and attention.

The power of the sign of the cross is unusually great. In the lives of saints, there are often stories about how demonic spells were dispelled after the sign of the cross. Therefore, those who are baptized carelessly, fussily and inattentively simply please the demons.

When should you make the sign of the cross?

The sign of the cross symbolizes the invocation of the name of God, and therefore it is usually performed with the words: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” or at any other beginning of prayer. It also symbolizes the glorification of God and is performed with the words: “Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” or with some other glorification and at the end of the prayer.

So, you should make the sign of the cross at the beginning of prayer, during prayer and after its end, as well as when approaching everything holy: when entering a temple, when kissing the cross, icons, holy relics. Believers are baptized before the start of any work and after its completion, before and after meals, before leaving the house and when entering the house, in moments of danger, in grief, in joy and in many other situations.

All the Divine Sacraments are sanctified by the sign of the cross, and every thing necessary for life is sanctified by it.

In Orthodox stores and church shops today it is not difficult to find many suitable books and brochures on this topic.

You can suggest the book “Interpretation of the Canon on the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord,” the works of Saint Cosmas, compiled by Nicodemus the Holy Mountain. Translation from Greek edited by Professor I.N. Korsunsky.

Why should you wear a pectoral cross?

Orthodox Christians must wear a cross so as not to deviate from the ancient Christian tradition. When the Sacrament of Baptism is performed on a person, a cross is put on by the hand of the priest, and the worldly hand should not dare to remove it.

The cross is material evidence of a person’s belonging to the Church of Christ. At the same time, it is a sharp weapon in spiritual warfare: “Let us mark the life-giving cross on our doors, and on our foreheads, and on our foreheads, and on our lips, and on every member of ours, and let us arm ourselves with this invincible Christian weapon, the conqueror of death, the hope of the faithful, a light for the ends of the earth, a weapon that opens paradise, the overthrower of heresies, the affirmation of faith, the great repository and saving praise of the Orthodox. Let us, Christians, carry this weapon with us in every place, day and night, at every hour and at every minute. Don't do anything without it; whether you are sleeping, getting up from sleep, working, eating, drinking, on the road, sailing on the sea, crossing a river - decorate all your members with the life-giving cross, and evil will not come to you, and no wound will come near your body ( Ps. 91:10)" (Reverend Ephraim the Syrian).

The meaning of wearing a cross is revealed in the words of the Apostle Paul: “I have been crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:19).

Which cross to choose - gold or silver?

But the main thing is to wear the cross meaningfully, with faith, without taking it off.

Is it possible to wear an unconsecrated cross?

Can. St. John Chrysostom writes that demons go around the place where just two sticks (twigs) fell from a tree and lay in a cross shape. But it is customary to consecrate crosses in the church.

Is it possible to wear a cross on a chain?

There is no fundamental difference between a chain and a braid. It is important that the cross holds firmly.

Is it possible to wear a cross that my sister wore if she bought a new one?

Can. The cross is a shrine, a symbol of salvation, no matter who wore it.

Is it possible to wear a cross and a zodiac sign on the same chain?

-‘ A pectoral cross is a sign of belonging to the Church of Christ, and zodiac signs, amulets, and amulets are evidence of commitment to various superstitions, so you cannot wear them at all. “What does light have in common with darkness? What agreement is there between Christ and Belial? Or what is the complicity of the faithful with the infidel? What is the relationship between the temple of God and idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people” (2 Cor. 6:14-16).

Do I need to remove the cross when washing in a bathhouse?

The cross accompanies a person throughout his life. You can only replace it if necessary. You can wear a consecrated wooden cross during an operation or in a bathhouse.

A person who takes off his pectoral cross or does not wear it at all after Baptism suffers from lack of faith and lack of true church consciousness. In Rus' they said about an immoral person: “There’s no cross on it.” Sometimes one glance at the holy cross is enough to clear up a clouded memory and awaken a faded conscience in the soul.

Should Orthodox believers venerate a four-pointed cross or only an eight-pointed one?

The Orthodox Church equally reveres both the eight-pointed and four-pointed cross, as an instrument of the suffering of Christ the Savior. The shape of the cross is not a dogmatic question, but a historical and aesthetic one.

It is the Old Believers who claim that the true and life-giving cross of Christ is only an eight-pointed cross, that is, consisting of a straight tree, a transverse tree, a foot and a tablet with an inscription. The four-pointed cross is not the true cross of Christ, but a heretical, Latin one.

But this teaching of the Old Believers completely disagrees with the teaching of the Church Fathers, who clearly testify that the four-pointed cross is the true cross of Christ. Thus, St. Ephraim the Syrian calls the cross that we place on ourselves, life-giving, which means four-pointed. The Old Believers unfairly claim that Christ was crucified on an eight-pointed cross, since it is known that the tablet with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” was placed by Pilate after the moment of the crucifixion. This means that the Savior was crucified on a six-pointed cross.

Material monuments also testify against the Old Believer opinion about the four-pointed cross. Thus, in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra there is a Byzantine copper four-pointed cross of St. Mark the Pechernik (11th century). All sacraments are performed under the seal and the image of a four-pointed cross. Many priests wear on their chests not an eight-pointed, but a four-pointed cross. And the Old Believers themselves, when they pray, depict a four-pointed cross on themselves.

By honoring the four-pointed and eight-pointed cross, the Orthodox Church honors not two crosses, but one cross of the Lord, as for example, when honoring the full and half-length image of Christ the Savior, it honors One Savior.

Any cross: four-pointed, six-pointed or eight-pointed, made of wood, metal or any other material is revered not for its appearance or material, but is revered as an image and symbol of Christ’s Passion. “For whenever there is a sign, there He Himself will be” (St. John of Damascus).

How to distinguish an Orthodox cross from a Catholic one?

According to church tradition, the Orthodox cross can be eight-pointed or four-pointed; Catholic - usually four-pointed with a more elongated vertical crossbar, with or without the image of the Crucified One. The image of Jesus Christ on it is also distinctive. On Catholic crucifix crosses, the body of Jesus Christ is depicted hanging heavily and with his legs nailed to the cross with a single nail. On Orthodox crosses, Christ's feet are nailed with two nails, each separately. On top was a sign with the inscription: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. On the Orthodox crucifix there are capital Slavic letters: IНЦI, in Catholic Latin: INRI (Iesus Nazareus Rex Iudaorum). On the back of Orthodox pectoral crosses, according to tradition, an inscription is made: "Bless and save". These outwardly distinctive forms of Orthodox and Catholic crosses have no fundamental difference, being a reflection of different church traditions.

Is it possible to pick up a cross found on the street and what to do with it?

A cross found on the street must be picked up, since it is a shrine and should not be trampled underfoot. The found cross can be taken to the Church or consecrated and worn if you don’t have your own, or given to someone who will wear it.

The meaning of the sign of the cross is the same for all Christian denominations. By making the sign of the cross, people testify to their loyalty to Christ. The Lord took upon himself death on the cross to grant us salvation. The sign of the cross itself differs among Orthodox, Catholics and Old Believers. How to be baptized correctly for Orthodox Christians? In order not to get confused and to make the sign of the cross correctly, read our material on how to be baptized correctly.

How to be baptized correctly - history

Basil the Great called the sign of the cross one of those apostolic Traditions that came to us not through Scripture, but through custom. Everywhere where the apostles preached the Word of God, people who converted to Christianity began to depict the sign of the cross on themselves. People were baptized differently in all countries. In the West - with the whole palm, in Africa it was customary to cross with one finger, index or thumb, as a sign of faith in one God. They could also be baptized in an unusual way - not with a complete cross, but only with the forehead, lips and heart. According to Orthodox tradition, the sign of the cross is used to bless the lesser from the greater: the laity from the priest and the children from their parents.

There is no answer to the question why Catholics cross from left to right, and Orthodox Christians from right to left. Due to long distances, cultural characteristics and differences, the sign of the cross differs in different countries and denominations. We can say that the beginning of the differences was laid by the church schism that occurred in the 11th century. Not only the features of making the sign of the cross differ, but also the vestments of priests, churches, and some customs. Moreover, all Christian traditions have one common root - faith in Christ. So, despite the difference in worship, the Eucharistic canon in Orthodoxy and Catholicism remains almost identical.

How to be baptized correctly - finger formation

A finger is a finger. To make the sign of the cross, Orthodox Christians place three fingers together as a sign of the trinity of the Lord. The thumb, index and middle fingers are assembled. The rest remain clenched in a fist. These two fingers mean that Jesus Christ remained both God and man.

Left to right or vice versa? How to be baptized correctly as an Orthodox Christian

First, we place our fingers on our foreheads, asking the Lord to sanctify our mind.
We place our fingers on our stomach in the solar plexus area and ask God to prolong the days of our lives.
We place our fingers on the right shoulder.
We place our fingers on the left shoulder.

In this way, we seem to draw a cross on ourselves, agreeing to accept the will of God and follow Christ. To consolidate their devotion to God during services, people also bow to the ground and bow to the ground. When making a bow, people bow at the waist, and during the earthly bow they kneel and touch the floor with their foreheads.

Old Believers, on the contrary, fold their index and middle fingers, and press the rest to the palm. At the same time, the essence of the sign remains the same.

Catholics make the sign of the cross using their entire palm and do it from left to right, not from right to left. The entire palm is used as a symbol of the wounds on the body of Jesus, there were five of them - two on the legs, two on the arms and one from the copy. In Orthodoxy it is believed that this is not a dogmatic, but a ritual image of the cross.

How to be baptized correctly in front of the temple and in society?

Orthodox Christians often face the question of whether it is correct to be baptized in public places. There is no single answer to the question of whether it is worth doing this, but it is important to ask yourself the question - why are we baptized? If a person has an internal need for this or he reads a prayer to himself and wants to cross himself, then, of course, there will be nothing wrong with this. The Lord called us to confession, and Orthodox Christians should not be shy and hide their faith in God. If a person does this for show to show that he leads a pious and righteous life, it is worth asking himself whether something that is designed to help people will harm his soul? Visible evidence of our faith is not condemned if it is for good. By doing a good deed or making the sign of the cross, we demonstrate faith in Christ. But our intentions must also be kind and good. Thinking that someone nearby does not know how to be baptized or is baptized incorrectly, we can do something in condemnation, and not in justification.

The meaning of the sign of the cross

Orthodox Christians should not condemn those who do not know how to be baptized correctly, because the grace and love of the Lord do not depend on how we make the sign of the cross (although this should be done in accordance with the fundamentals of the faith). If a person accidentally crosses himself from left to right, but at the same time with his soul he has accepted the way of the cross of Christ and agreed to follow Him, this is not considered a sin. After all, the essence of the sign of the cross is to demonstrate in a visible way what is in a person’s soul - faith and love for Christ.

Someone or something. There are several phraseological units denoting the action of a person making the sign of the cross: "make the sign of the cross", "make the sign of the cross", "to impose the sign of the cross on oneself", "(re)baptize"(not to be confused with the meaning of “receive the sacrament of Baptism”), as well as “to mark (sya)”. The sign of the cross is used in many Christian denominations, differing in the variants of the folding of the fingers (usually in this context the Church Slavonic word “fingers” is used: “folding of fingers”, “finger folding”) and the direction of movement of the hand.

When performing double-fingering, two fingers of the right hand - the index and middle - are joined together, symbolizing the two natures of Christ, while the middle finger turns out to be slightly bent, which means Divine condescension and incarnation. The three remaining fingers are also joined together, symbolizing the Holy Trinity; Moreover, in modern practice, the end of the thumb rests on the pads of the other two, which cover it on top. After which, the tips of two fingers (and only them) touch the forehead, abdomen, right and left shoulders in succession. It is also emphasized that one cannot be baptized at the same time as bowing; a bow, if required, should be performed after the hand has been lowered (however, the same rule is followed in the new rite, although not so strictly).

Old Believers do not recognize triplicity, believing that the image of a cross with three fingers in honor of the Holy Trinity denotes the heresy according to which the entire Trinity, and not just the Son, suffered on the Cross. For the same reason, it is not customary to say “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” when making the sign of the cross; instead, they usually say the Jesus Prayer.

The priest, when blessing, does not use any special finger formation, but folds his hand into the same two-fingered one.

Iconography

In Orthodox iconography, a hand folded into the sign of the cross is a fairly common element. Usually clergy are depicted this way, with their hand raised for blessing, but sometimes the sign of the cross, as a symbol of confession of their faith, is also depicted on icons of saints without holy orders. Usually saints are depicted with two fingers or with a nominal finger, extremely rarely - with three fingers.

Catholicism

In the West, unlike the Orthodox Church, there have never been such conflicts regarding the folding of fingers during the sign of the cross, as in the Russian Church, and to this day there are various versions of it. Thus, Catholic prayer books, speaking about the sign of the cross, usually cite only the prayer pronounced at the same time ( In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti), without saying anything about the combination of fingers. Even traditionalist Catholics, who are usually quite strict about the ritual and its symbolism, admit the existence of various options here. In the Polish Catholic community, it is customary to make the sign of the cross with five fingers, with an open palm, in memory of the five wounds on the body of Christ.

When a Catholic makes the sign of the cross for the first time upon entering a church, he first dips his fingertips in a special bowl of holy water. This gesture, which appears to be an echo of the ancient custom of washing hands before celebrating the Eucharist, was later reinterpreted as a rite performed in memory of the sacrament of Baptism. Some Catholics perform this ritual at home, before starting home prayer.

Priest When blessing, he uses the same finger formation as with the sign of the cross, and leads his hand in the same way as an Orthodox priest, that is, from left to right.

In addition to the usual, large cross, the so-called cross was preserved in the Latin rite as a remnant of ancient practice. small cross. It is performed during Mass, before the reading of the Gospel, when the clergy and those praying with the thumb of their right hand depict three small crosses on the forehead, lips and heart.

Notes

Literature

Uspensky B.A. The sign of the cross and sacred space: Why do Orthodox Christians cross themselves from right to left, and Catholics from left to right? - M.: Languages of Slavic culture, 2004. - 160 p.
Novitsky I. A. Oath of Stoglav. - M.: Geronica, 2010. - 192 p.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what the “Sign of the Cross” is in other dictionaries:

Sign of the Cross- SIGN OF THE CROSS. Outdated Sign of the cross, Christian prayer gesture. A blacksmith raised his hand to make the sign of the cross (Gogol. The Night Before Christmas). The Lord will keep him [Silver] from your hands! said Maxim, making the sign of the cross, and will not allow... ... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Literary Language

Sign of the Cross- Perform (create) the sign of the cross - cross yourself. Make the sign of the cross (cross) - cross. In the Orthodox Church, the sign of the cross is made with the right hand. When making the sign of the cross, put together the thumb, index finger and... ... Orthodoxy. Dictionary-reference book

An image of a cross by hand on yourself or on some thing. In the primary sources of church history it is spoken of as a custom dating back to the times of the apostles. The oldest written evidence about him belongs to Tertullian and Cyprian.... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

The cross is the most important symbol for Christians, not only as an instrument of universal salvation on which Christ was crucified, but also as a constant reminder that people cannot become Christians without accepting the cross as the basis of life. “Whoever wants to follow Me... ...Russian history

The priest, when blessing, does not use any special finger formation, but folds his hand into the same two-fingered one.

Iconography

Catholicism

Priest When blessing, he uses the same finger formation as with the sign of the cross, and leads his hand in the same way as an Orthodox priest, that is, from left to right.

Notes

Literature

Uspensky B.A. The sign of the cross and sacred space: Why do Orthodox Christians cross themselves from right to left, and Catholics from left to right? - M.: Languages of Slavic culture, 2004. - 160 p.
Novitsky I. A. Oath of Stoglav. - M.: Geronica, 2010. - 192 p.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Kydonia (Ancient Greece)
Chania (city)

See what the “Sign of the Cross” is in other dictionaries:

Sign of the Cross- an image of a cross with one’s hand on oneself or on some thing. In the primary sources of church history it is spoken of as a custom dating back to the times of the apostles. The oldest written evidence about him belongs to Tertullian and Cyprian.... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

SIGN OF THE CROSS- the cross is the most important symbol for Christians, not only as an instrument of universal salvation on which Christ was crucified, but also as a constant reminder that people cannot become Christians without accepting the cross as the basis of life. “Whoever wants to follow Me... ...Russian history

Elena Terekhova

Sign of the Cross - protection from demons

Sign of the Cross expresses the essence of Christian dogmas, confession of faith in the Trinity and Jesus Christ, who took human form in order to save the world from hell. The sign also protects us from fallen spirits. In order to make the sign of the cross, you need to put the first, index and third fingers together, and press the ring and little fingers to the palm. The first three fingers folded signify faith in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are the indivisible Trinity. The last two fingers pressed to the palm mean the dual essence of God - human and divine.

The sign of the cross must be applied to yourself without haste. First on the forehead, then on the stomach, then on the right shoulder, on the left, and make a bow from the waist. We put our fingers to our forehead in order to sanctify our mind, to our stomach - to sanctify our inner feelings and heart, to our right and left shoulders we bring our folded fingers to sanctify our bodily powers.

It happens that some believers cross their fingers, bow not low to the waist, and place their fingers not to their stomach, but higher. The Holy Fathers speak of such actions as waving, which delights demons. At the time when we are baptized carefully, reverently, we receive mercy from God.

The sign of the cross does not mean only part of the ritual; first of all, it is a weapon against evil spirits. By the power of the sign of the cross, the apostles performed miracles. St. Anthony the Great warned us not to be deceived when angels come to us at night. In such a situation, you need to cross yourself and look at the reaction of the vision.

If these are really messengers of God, it will become clear to you, but if they are evil, transformed demons, then they will be afraid of the sign and disappear. One day Saint Dorotheos drank water from a well in which a serpent lived. Dorotheus's disciple was upset and said that now death would befall them. In response, the abba only smiled modestly and said that the sign of the cross cannot pose a danger to the life of a Christian.

The first Christians imposed sign of the cross with one finger, showing thereby his faith in one God. In 325, after the Council of Nicea, it was decided to be baptized with two fingers, thereby emphasizing the dual nature of Jesus Christ. In the 11th century, in contrast to the heresies that arose that denied the Holy Trinity, it was customary to cross with three fingers, which meant faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Sign of the Cross in Orthodoxy. History of the Sign of the Cross

How to be baptized correctly - history

How to be baptized correctly - finger formation

Left to right or vice versa? How to be baptized correctly as an Orthodox Christian

How to be baptized correctly in front of the temple and in society?

The meaning of the sign of the cross

Iconography

Catholicism

Notes

Links

Literature

See what the “Sign of the Cross” is in other dictionaries:

Iconography

Catholicism

Notes

Links

Literature

See what the “Sign of the Cross” is in other dictionaries:

Sign of the Cross - protection from demons

History of the Sign of the Cross

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Sign of the Cross in Orthodoxy. History of the Sign of the Cross

How to be baptized correctly - history

How to be baptized correctly - finger formation

Left to right or vice versa? How to be baptized correctly as an Orthodox Christian

How to be baptized correctly in front of the temple and in society?

The meaning of the sign of the cross

Iconography

Catholicism

Notes

Links

Literature

See what the “Sign of the Cross” is in other dictionaries:

Iconography

Catholicism

Notes

Links

Literature

See what the “Sign of the Cross” is in other dictionaries:

Sign of the Cross - protection from demons

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