On making the Sign of the Cross

One of the oldest and most powerful acts of Orthodox praxis is the Sign of the Cross.  The Sign of the Cross is a way for us, as Christians, to make an outward sign of our Faith in Jesus Christ.  By making the Sign we are invoking a blessing, warding off evil, showing of Faith.  It is also a prayer in and of itself.

First, it is important that one makes the Sign in the proper manner.  The proper way to make the Sign of the Cross is to combine your thumb, index finger, and middle finger together; while, the ring finger and pinking fold into the palm of your right hand.  To carry it out, start at your forehead, then down to your navel, up to your right shoulder, and then over to your left shoulder.  After making the Sign it is proper to either make a prostration or bow.  However, sometimes the space we are in does not let us carry out either of those two so a simple bow of the head is acceptable.

The reason that Orthodox Christians Sign themselves this way is not just meaningless but reveals two essential beliefs of the Holy Orthodox Church.  The first is the three fingers.  The three fingers represent the Holy Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The Trinity is Holy as it is the representation of God.  It reminds us of our Baptismal vow.
The last two fingers represent Jesus Christ's being.  That is, we accept, believe, and show that Christ was both Divine and human.

There are multiple times that Orthodox invoke the Sign of the Cross.  When waking up in the morning or going to bed, before eating/drinking, before saying a prayer, when entering/exiting a Church, venerating Icons, and during the Divine Liturgy.

During the Divine Liturgy we always Cross ourselves when either we say or hear the Name of the Holy Trinity, when the Priest blesses the laity, when the Priest or Deacon censes the laity, or when the Priest/Deacon prays out loud to the Theotokos and to Jesus Christ, and at the mention of Saints. When the Gifts are brought around the Church, at the consecration of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood.  Also, when one hears "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us" and "Blessed be the Name of the Lord henceforth and forever more"

 It is also a good thing to perform the Sign during the prayers of the people, the litany. Such an example would be when we are asked to pray for our Hierarchs, Priests, Deacons, Monastics or for the remembrance of a loved one who fell asleep in the Lord or for someone who is sick or traveling.  Also, one may do it at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer, the beginning of the Creed, at the point in the Creed when we say "Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and Son is worshiped and glorified" (as to affirm that the Holy Spirit proceeds only from God, the Father, and NOT as the heterodox believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son), and also at the mention of the "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church."

There is also another Sign of the Cross that is reserved strictly for our Hierarchs; Priest, Bishop, Metropolitan, Patriarch.  This is a Holy blessing as the one who makes it does it by holding their hand in a formation for the abbreviation of Jesus Christ, "IC XC."  The little finger is extended to make the "I"; the index finger and middle finger are also raised, with the middle finger bent slightly so that the two fingers together form the "X"; the thumb touches the lowered third finger to signify the two "C"s.  We should always Cross ourselves when receiving this blessing from our Hierarch as it is a blessing of Jesus Christ.

The Sign of the Cross is a most precious act of piety.  It is a symbol and show of our Faith.  Let us never be ashamed by performing the Sign if we be in public or Church, for it is our Faith that it shows and it is a sign of our commitment to Christ.