why do orthodox cross themselves right to left

At the word Patris [Father] raise it and touch the forehead; at Filii [Son] touch the breast at a sufficient distance down . Hello all, I've seen several topics on the two methods of doing the sign of the cross: from right to left vs. from left to right. This seems like plagerism! practice of the Sign of the Cross: by reproducing as in a mirror the You are using an out of date browser. Seraphim Cardoza). We cant use them interchangeably. This is an honest and lovely conversation between an Orthodox Priest (Fr. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 1 Why do the Orthodox make the sign of the cross from right to left? The sign of the cross is used in several Christian traditions, but it is most prominent in Catholic and Orthodox tradition. Copyright 2021 St. Anne Orthodox Church unless otherwise noted. It was certainly not from this thread. Christ never explicitly revealed any alternate paths to salvation except in His one Church. The most marked difference between a cross and a crucifix is the corpus or body of Christ on a crucifix. the hand of the priest forms the first letters of the words Jesus This is off topic. Other Western Christians, e.g., Lutherans, Anglicans, Episcopalians, and some Presbyterians follow the same pattern because they inherited it from the Western Church. The cross usually has three crossbeams, two horizontal and the third one is a bit slanted. Seraphim Cardoza talks about the sign of the cross, a gesture of ancient Christian origin by which people bless themselves, others, or objects. Do you cross left to right or right to left. They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. They touch their right shoulder first, then their left, whereas the Roman Catholics first touch their left shoulder. Why our friends the Catholics go tothe left no one knows. But since you find it acceptable to cross yourself why dont you continue and pray the Ave Maria? Catholic Dating: When should you tell a girl, I love you?. This symbolizes the two natures of Christ coming down to Earth. In this video, Fr. In a word, no. The act of Placing the cross on oneself is a request for a blessing from God. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Put your thumb, forefinger, and middle finger together--this symbolizes the Trinity. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Thus the action represents the transition from misery to glory, from death to life, and from hell to paradise. Lordhave mercy! I remind all members to remember to quote their sources and give credit to the authors of text that they cut and paste. Thats okay, I mean, that thats okay. Seraphim Cardoza) and an Evangelical Pastor (Perry Atkinson). The slanted line reminds us of the two thieves on both sides of the cross. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. It is not about earning salvation, it is a tool to help us work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. | Lent | Death of shallowness (Fr. The priest always gives communion with his RIGHT hand, even if he is left handed. In fact, the "right to left" practice is likely the oldest. sign of the cross, a gesture of ancient Christian origin by which people bless themselves, others, or objects. The early Christians made a point of inserting into the Nicene Creed (AD 325) the statement that Christ was incarnate of the Virgin Mary to ensure there was no confusion on this matter. 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. The abrasions in question are consistent with injuries caused by carrying the cross on the shoulders. The formal and proper form of the sign of the cross includes the use of three fingers, especially when entering the church. The Latin cross emoji depicts what is also known as the Christian cross, the most common symbol of Christian iconography. BAChristian Report thereselittleflower Well-Known Member Nov 9, 2003 34,832 1,524 42,835.00 Faith Catholic Nov 18, 2003 These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Reddit, Inc. 2023. 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. Don't you get tired of singing the same hymns or praying the same prayers every week? and our To shoulder your cross means to love God more than anyone or anything else. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Some Protestants object to the crucifix because of the belief (which we Catholics share!) People of all faiths are welcome to attend Mass in a Catholic Church. But because the Orthodox liturgical tradition is so vast, full immersion in it provides an almost endless variety of exploration and possibility. that Christ is resurrected, not still on the cross and thus, (some believe) He should not be depicted that way. gesture of the blessing granted by an authority, it is a way of As such, the Bible is always understood within the life of the Church, not above or apart from it. I thought it was also that the direction was different. Starting at 8 a.m. To the right of the Christ icon is St. John the Baptist, the one who prepared the way for Jesus' earthly ministry. Add a Comment. The hand that blesses thus traces the Sign of the Cross toward the faithful from top to bottom and from left to right. The left in this case is usually associated with death and darkness, while the right symbolizes truth and light. Why do Orthodox Christians cross themselves different than Roman Catholics? To cross yourself, take your right hand and put your thumb, index, and middle finger together. 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. You are using an out of date browser. The Melkite Eastern Catholics also make the sign of the Cross the same way the Orthodox do, which is from right to left, and the Vatican permits this. Reddit, Inc. 2023. CharacterUse 4 yr. ago Indeed, in the beginning, Christians crossed themselves from top to bottom and then from right to left. take place in the West in the 18th century. Jesus calls us to take up [our] cross, and this is a visible identification with that command of our Lord. While making the sign of the cross, Orthodox Christians do so by touching their thumb, index, and middle fingers together, which represents the Holy Trinity. Is this difference important? 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. Archpriest Seraphim Cardoza, is a former evangelical pastor who was drawn to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. the middle finger and the little finger slightly folded. 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. Prayer to Mary is memory of the great mysteries of our faith (Incarnation, Redemption through Christ in the rosary), praise to God for the wonderful things he has done in and through one of his creatures (Hail Mary) and intercession (second half of the Hail Mary). Stephen's Blog. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 5 What does the Bible say about sign of the cross? 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. to right, dictating the original direction of the Sign of the Cross Barnabas), Three demons plan to hide happiness from men somewhere | Metropolitan Pavlos | St. Paisios, In 100 years, God will reveal a new saint! St. Porphyrios Orthodox Elders Direct witness, Ukrainian Bishop in Tears Emotional Message on War, Miracle: Jesus Christ appeared in his house | An inspiring story from Romania, Evangelical missionary vs Orthodox Christian priest (Fr. Raise your hand to the right shoulder. 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). Roman Catholics arent the only Christians who make the Sign of the Cross. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. [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. human and divine of Christ. The contact areas of the cross on the shoulder have been experimentally verified in the same figure 3. 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. One of them to the right of Christ ascended to Heaven, while the other one sank to Hell. the right side is referred to in a preferential way many times in scripture and our sacred hymns What should we want to change? This But The sign of the cross is most often made at the name of the Holy Trinity, to show reverence for a saint, holy object, or person, at the beginning or end of a prayer, to show humility or agreement, or on numerous other occasions which may vary slightly according to regional/ethnic practice or personal piety. It would depend on the community and culture we are worshiping in at the time. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. For further reading, see our tract and encyclopedia entry. 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. Why is she so important? *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. It is frequently used in Ukraine as a memorial sign to fallen soldiers and as military awards. Historically, the term Greek Orthodox has been used to describe all Eastern Orthodox churches in general, since the term Greek can refer to the heritage of the Byzantine Empire. Its because the Orthodox Church actually produced the Bible. why has the blessing always been given from top to bottom and from left 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 convincing: drawing on oneself the cross from left to right, could direction of reading and writing in Latin and Greek. To be accurate, we pray with the saints, not to them. When was the last time you called her Blessed among all women? For additional apologetics resources please visit. JavaScript is disabled. We put our three fingers together. ET on EWTN: Holy Mass and Rosary on Thursday, June 22, 2023 [Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop; Saints John Fisher, Bishop, and Thomas. The Church also lived Christian life to the fullest for centuries before the canon of the New Testament was even recognizable (AD 367). Sophrony Sakharov), Prayer for the little girls (Metropolitan Ioan), Fr. To the right of the royal doors is always the Christ icon. higher power, in other words from God. 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. Three major groups. Jesus said that when He had gone, His followers would fast. Or did you just like the slams the article took against Catholics, and you wanted to share that with us? We cross our forehead so that the Word of God may be in our thoughts and purify our minds. "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. And more importantly, I think, everytime we do it we proclaim God. Because the Lord separated the sheep from the goats, putting the faithful sheep on His right side, and the goats on the left, the Church always treats the right side as the preferred side. There are other examples of this right side preference. 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. 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 . Where is the most peaceful place to live in Florida? 1:11). Christian Congregations (Christians Only). Non-Catholics are welcome to be present for the celebration, but only Catholics in a state of grace are able to receive Holy Communion during Mass. Why do Orthodox have a different cross? We make if from right to left to mirror the actions of the priest when he blesses us. Mary stands witness that Jesus Christ is fully human, even while being fully God. Christian Congregations (Christians Only). But, the Orthodox cross themselves right to left, signifying the Eastern direction of the crucifixion, resurrection, and the awaited second coming of Christ. The official answer is probably one of those things that is lost to history. Youre gonna find your Evangelical friends saying: what are you wearingthat for? Thats exactly what youre going tosee. We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we fingers flat against our palm. Millions of Catholics have honest concerns about problems they see at Mass. 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. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Simply put, why want only a sandwich when they could have a banquet? In Eastern Christian traditions, the opposite direction is taken. The Prophet Malachi even predicted that incense would be characteristic of Christian worship (Mal. Our worship is not merely mentalwe use all our senses, sight, smell, sound, taste and touch. Why and how do we cross ourselves? You are a protestant and protestants dont cross themselves at all. The cross usually has three crossbeams, two horizontal and the third one is a bit slanted. Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/XmM-xwUW5zY. [6] One As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided. Our fathers, and countless saints crossed themselves from right to left. mirror: the blessing given by the priest or the bishop reproduces the By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Our fathers, and countless saints crossed themselves from right to left. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Isnt it enough just to know that by making the sign of the cross we acknowledge the Trinity God and that He blesses us? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. It does not store any personal data. Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. Competing Jewish denominations emerged, each one attempting to negotiate the relationship between Jewishness and modernity in its own way. They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. When they make the sign of the cross over themselves, they would do it, logically, the other way. Reprinted from a St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral2014 bulletin, Fr. The history of the Sign of the Cross is therefore also linked to that of the blessing. In Western Christianity, you then touch your forehead, the center of your chest, your left shoulder, and your right shoulder. 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. * only three fingers were used, and the hand traveled from the right shoulder to the left. Most Eastern Christians do it in a different order: From top to bottom and then from right to left. of their person in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. But is it in the Latin direction or the orthodox direction? 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. Cookie Notice We just cannot change the deposit of faith. JavaScript is disabled. Orthodox fasting practice, when followed strictly, means that not partaking of any animal products (i.e., no meat, dairy, eggs, etc. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. A . Because the Lord separated the sheep from the goats, putting the faithful sheep on His right side, and the goats on the left, the Church always treats the right side as the preferred side. God honors truthful belief and proper faith anywhere it is found. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. To clarify, fasting doesn't mean giving up all food and water. specificities of each tradition, the preference of one direction or the Most Orthodox Christians also have an icon corner in their home. Did you even read the dang link you posted here in this thread? You you oh jimminy christmas! Serafim of Romania | otelders, Miracles and Tears | Building an Orthodox Monastery | Fr. Rather, we enlist Saints, along with the rest of the Church, to pray to God to hear us and have mercy on us. Incense wafting upwards symbolizes our prayer rising to God in heaven. Well, the article you quoted already gives the reason why we Orthodox do it that way. We are free to change custom. Roman Catholic Church. hand that blesses joins the ring finger, the index finger is upwards, We only cross ourselves with our RIGHT hand. Just so nobody overlooks this tradition and Tradition are two different things. The sign of the cross is made by saying the Trinitarian invocation while touching one's right hand to the forehead first (Father), then to the lower chest or stomach (Son), then to the left shoulder and the right shoulder (Holy Spirit), and closing with both our hands together for assent (Amen). In fact, the right to left practice is likely the oldest. absence of a member of the clergy, every blessing is received from a Lord have mercy on me! We make the sign of the cross to remind us of Christs conquest of death on the cross. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Much of the content of Orthodox worship services consists of readings from the Scriptures, especially the Psalms. 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. 11 desert_rose_376 2 yr. ago There was an encyclical written about getting people to cross themselves correctly, but it fell through. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we fingers flat against our palm. 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.. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". How do plants give off water in the water cycle? 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. 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. We do not have the authority to choose willy-nilly what parts of the Christina Tradition we want to follow. They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. To make the sign of the cross as the Orthodox do, you would first put your hand in that position. The current Western practice is to bless with an open hand, just as the faithful make their sign of the cross with their hand open. 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. You seem to be quite knowledgeable about this. They must explain why they have changed an ancient and apostolic tradition. This is why when you spill salt you throw it over your left shoulder, into the eyes of your demon. The 13th Century Pope. We cannot answer as to their motivations. In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, one God three Divine persons. Orthodox cross themselves from right to left. Other In a word, YES. The Russian Orthodox Cross (or just the Orthodox Cross by some Russian Orthodox traditions) is a variation of the Christian cross since the 16th century in Russia, although it bears some similarity to a cross with a bottom crossbeam slanted the other way (upwards) found since the 6th century in the Byzantine Empire.The Russian Orthodox cross has three horizontal crossbeams, with the lowest one . the Church. In the West, one then proceeds from the left shoulder to the right shoulder to finish the Sign of the Cross. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. religions have similar practices, and it is difficult not to see in In the west, on the other hand, crossing yourself from left to right is drawing on the armor of the Lord. Then why become Orthodox? We touch our forehead, then our belly, tracing the vertical part of the cross. Yes, there are some hymns we sing regularly, but each day different hymns are sung to celebrate a feast, the life of a saint or some other event in the life of the Church. Our hymns and prayers change every day. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

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