St. Thomas the Apostle Byzantine Catholic Church: Do You Know Why We Sign Ourselves?

Do You Know Why We Sign Ourselves?

Whenever people attend our Services for the first time, they are usually struck by the various signs and symbols, gestures and other visible movements that accompany the Services. On of the frequent comments that we hear is: "Wow! You really do make the sign of the Cross a lot!"

This is true; we do use it often in our prayer, both publicly and privately. The sign of the Cross is the sign of our salvation in Jesus Christ; by tracing it on our bodies, we are identifying ourselves with Christ and reminding ourselves that we were indeed baptized into His Death and Resurrection. The sign of the Cross is our act of faith and commitment to Christ.

When are we supposed to make this sign of the Cross? There are no hard and fast rules that are common to all Christians. Each Church has its particular customs. Our own Church gives us the following indications in the rubric books for the Ruthenians. The sign of the Cross is to be made at the following times:

When one enters the sanctuary or departs from it.
At the beginning of any Office when one says: "Blessed is our God" (or "Through the prayers of our holy Fathers...").
At the Trisagion (or the hymn We bow to Your Cross).
At: Come, let us worship and bow before Christ.
When one says the three Alleuias at the end of a Psalm.
Whenever the three Persons of the life-giving Trinity are mentioned together.
Whenever one receives a blessing from the priest.
As often as one comes before the Royal Doors for reading or chanting.
As often as one passes before the Holy Altar Table or the Iconostasis (Icon Screen).
At the beginning and end of the Gospel reading.
As often as prescribed in the rubrics.

The sign of the Cross is also an act of personal devotion. It signifies an intensification of our prayer, a fervor of faith. Thus it may be used as often as one wishes to strengthen prayer with this sign of faith.

St. John Damascene calls the sign of the Cross our shield and weapon against evil, the support of the standing, the staff of the weak...the plant of resurrection and the tree of eternal life.