Signum Crucis
+ In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Pope Francis has declared 2024 to be dedicated as a 'Year of Prayer', in preparation for the Jubilee Year in 2025.
I think it is a good idea to reflect on a number of prayers. I will be reflecting on these from the perspective of someone who is a convert to Catholicism from Protestantism.
Of the 40,000+ denominations mentioned throughout the Christian world, there are about six mainline Christian groups (Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, Lutheran and Anglican) that all have one prayer in common. This prayer is above and is called the Sign of the Cross (in Latin: Signum Crucis).
The Sign of the Cross is one of the most important prayers in the history of the church. There are many miracles attributed to this prayer, yet sadly it is a prayer that is neglected by almost every Protestant denomination.
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
The Sign of the Cross is a prayer that involves a number of things. In involves audible words, based on the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-19. These words affirm the Trinitarian (one and three) nature of the Christian Faith, for we are invoking the name (singular) of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (three names). It involves physical gestures, making a sign in the shape of the cross from the head to the chest or bellybutton, then from one should to the other. In the Western parts of the Church, this is made from left to right, in the Eastern parts, from right to left. Furthermore, the hand is held such that the five fingers in the West represent the five wounds of Christ that occurred on the cross (The holes from the four nails plus the piercing of Christ's side with the lance); in the East they are held such that the thumb, index and middle fingers are pinched together (representing the Trinity as three in one) and the ring and pinky finger are enclosed together into the palm of the hand (representing the two natures of Christ in the Incarnation).
Sometimes the shape of the cross is deemed to be symbolic. The Western Church often uses the vertical part of the cross to represent the incarnation of Christ; whereas the Eastern Churches will emphasise the vertical part - referencing the Son being on the right side of the Father and the Spirit on the left.
Where is the Sign of the Cross in the Bible? Without covering the differences now in the methods of Biblical interpretation between Catholics (and other early Christian Churches such as the Orthodox) and Protestants, the Catholic Church has always seen this as stemming from Ezekiel 9:4, which says, "And the LORD said to him, "Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it." (RSV-2CE) The word here for 'mark' is actually the Hebrew letter 'Tav' or 'Taw'. In the Paleo Hebrew script used by Ezekiel, this letter was in the shape of a 't'.
Some Protestants at this point may ask why it says foreheads whilst various denominations such as Catholics sign their whole body. In reality, Catholics do both; we sign ourselves on the foreheads at various times, including during every Mass prior to the reading of the Gospel.
This Sign of the Cross also seems to be alluded to elsewhere in the Scriptures as a seal, such as in the writings of Paul. Most notably however, this seal comes up again in the book of Revelation:
Revelation 7:4 - "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads." (RSV-2CE)
Revelation 9:4 - "...they were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green growth, but only those of mankind who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads..." (RSV-2CE)
Revelation 14:1 - "Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads." (RSV-2CE).
This practice of making the sign of the cross is mentioned by many early church documents, some of which can be found via the link here. One reference missing there is from the Life of Benedict by Gregory the Great. In it, it talks about how Benedict was given a glass of poison to drink, but when he made the sign of the cross over the glass, it broke into pieces. This story can be found in the link here. There are others, but this is sufficient to demonstrate the Early Church's praxis on this matter supports the use of the sign of the cross, not just on one's forehead but also over the course of several activities.
In this Year of Prayer, perhaps we can start off by either developing or keeping the habit of the Sign of the Cross: + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
(Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, worth without end. Amen.)