The Sign of the Cross:

The sign of the cross is an ancient prayer that dates back to the earliest days of the Church. It is a highly recognizable and common gesture which involves making the sign of the cross by touching one’s forehead, chest, left shoulder, and right shoulder with the right hand. The gesture symbolizes the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—while also invoking God’s protection and grace. The sign of the cross served as a reminder to early Christians of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for the salvation of humanity. It was seen as an act of humility and surrender, acknowledging their dependence on God and His saving power.

It is crucial to emphasize that the sign of the cross was not considered by early Christians to be a magical formula or a guarantee of physical protection, as the early Church was highly suspect of anything that resembled the superstition common to pagan religions of the time. Rather, the Church viewed its significance as a visible expression of faith that was important to Christian identity and served as a reminder of their beliefs. It’s practice was deeply rooted in the Christian tradition and theology, with its power lying in the faith and devotion of the individual making the sign.

The theological basis for the sign of the cross is rooted in Scripture. Christ emphasizes the significance of the cross as a symbol of discipleship in Mark 8:34: “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.'” In Galatians 6:14, the Apostle Paul speaks about boasting only in the cross of Jesus Christ and calls it a stumbling block for non-believers in 1 Corinthians 1:18, emphasizing the significance of the cross as a symbol of salvation and faith. The sign of the cross invokes the names “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” and represents the belief in the Holy Trinity (Matthew 28:19). Thus, the Sign of the Cross serves as a reminder for Christians of their baptism and membership in the Body of Christ.

The act of making the sign of the cross is also itself a prayer. The Bible encourages believers to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). As a prayerful expression of faith, the sign of the cross is an opportunity for believers to remain mindful of God’s presence throughout their day. The sign of the cross is sometimes used to seek God’s blessings and protection. In Psalm 121:7-8, it is written, “The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Making the sign of the cross can be seen as a way of calling upon God’s protection in accordance with this scripture.

The Old Testament alludes to the sign of the cross in Ezekiel 9:4: “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.” This verse, although not related to the New Testament, shows a similar concept of marking or sealing believers for their faithfulness to God. The mark was given to those who remained faithful to the Lord and would be spared from God’s wrath and judgment. The word used here for mark is the Hebrew letter, taw. In Greek it is the letter tau, which is T-shaped. This mark on the forehead of the faithful is also found in Revelation 7:3, 9:4, and 14:1.

The sign of the cross has been in use since the early Church, as we find evidence in the Church Fathers that the practice was already familiar to Christians by the second century. Tertullian of Carthage wrote in 211 C.E.;

“In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupieth us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross” (The Crown 3:2).

St. Cyril of Jerusalem wrote;

“Let us then not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the cross our seal, made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat and the cups we drink, in our comings and in goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are travelling, and when we are at rest”(Catecheses 13:36).

In the fourth century, St Jerome records the sign of the cross being traced on the lips (Jerome, “The Life of Paulus the First Hermit”) and Aurelius Clemens Prudentius records Christians tracing the cross on the heart (Prudentius, “Cathemerinon.”, 6:129). Epiphanius of Salamis tells of a holy man Josephus, who gave a vessel of water the power of overthrowing magical incantations by “making over the vessel with his finger the seal of the cross” (Panarion 30:12). Sozomen (VII, xxvi), describes how Bishop Donatus “made the sign of the cross with his finger in the air.”

Even discounting extant writings, such as the Church Fathers, describing the sign of the cross, there is ample evidence that the early church practiced the sign of the cross. Paintings and frescoes found in church catacombs as well as early Christian pottery and artwork often depict the sign of the cross. The practice can also be seen in some of the artwork still preserved in some of the oldest surviving church structures.

In the catacombs of Rome, there are numerous depictions of the sign of the cross. For instance, in the Catacomb of Priscilla, there are frescoes showing Christians making the sign of the cross in prayer and during baptisms. Early Christian sarcophagi, or stone coffins, would often feature reliefs showing scenes from the life of Christ and biblical stories. In some of these reliefs, individuals are depicted making the sign of the cross, indicating its significance in the beliefs and practices of early Christians. Some ivory diptychs from the early Christian period show images of individuals making the sign of the cross. These small portable items were often used for personal devotion and reflect the significance of the gesture in individual piety.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy contains mosaics dating back to the 5th century, depicting biblical scenes, including scenes with figures making the sign of the cross. The mosaic in the apse of the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, dating back to the 6th century, depicts the Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora making the sign of the cross during a religious procession. These examples provide tangible evidence of the early Christian practice of the sign of the cross and illustrate its integration into their art and religious expressions. The prevalence of such depictions across different regions and time periods reinforces the notion that the sign of the cross was a common and significant practice in early Christianity.

The practice of making the sign of the cross is not as common in Protestant traditions as it is in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. However, some Protestant Reformers did not entirely reject the sign of the cross and occasionally made references to it. Martin Luther, in his Small Catechism, said;

“We should remember our Baptism and be glad we are Christians. Whenever you make the sign of the cross, say: ‘I thank thee, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, thy dear Son, that thou hast kept me this night from all harm and danger.'” (Luther’s Small Catechism)

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