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Home/Worship & Liturgy/The Sign of the Cross

The Sign of the Cross

 

Several months ago I wrote a piece on Building Faith about genuflecting – making the sign of the cross. Blessing oneself or crossing oneself, is a ritual blessing made by members of many branches of Christianity. This blessing is made by the tracing of an upright cross or + across the body with the right hand, often accompanied by spoken or mental recitation of the trinitarian formula – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I’ve also enjoyed watching the teaching videos put out by the Reverend Matthew Moretz entitled, Fr. Matthew Presents. I’ve used a number of them with young people and especially enjoy the one in which he explains the Ascension using Mary Poppins as a metaphor for coming and going (check it out here).

But I just discovered his presentation on making the Sign of the Cross. With a little humor for the kids included, he covers the history and various practices of making the sign of the cross – when we see it in church as well as how we might make it part of our personal devotion.

Check it out!

About the Author

  • Sharon Ely Pearson

    Sharon Ely Pearson recently retired as Editor & Christian Formation Specialist with Church Publishing Incorporated (CPI) with 35+ years of experience in Christian formation on the local, judicatory, and church-wide level. Known for her knowledge of the variety of published curricula across the Church, she has also had her hand in the birthing of numerous books, including the best-seller, Call on Me: A Prayer Book for Young People and the 6-book series of Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God. A graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary (2003) and a lifelong Episcopalian, she lives in Norwalk, Connecticut with her husband John, a 17.5 lb. cat named Shadow, and Chobe, a 7-year-old, tennis-ball-fetching, rescue black lab. They have two adult children (both teachers) and a 5-year-old granddaughter who is a budding environmental activist. Follow her at www.rowsofsharon.com.

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April 7, 2013 By Sharon Ely Pearson

Filed Under: Worship & Liturgy Tagged With: blessing, genuflecting, traditions, worship

About Sharon Ely Pearson

Sharon Ely Pearson recently retired as Editor & Christian Formation Specialist with Church Publishing Incorporated (CPI) with 35+ years of experience in Christian formation on the local, judicatory, and church-wide level. Known for her knowledge of the variety of published curricula across the Church, she has also had her hand in the birthing of numerous books, including the best-seller, Call on Me: A Prayer Book for Young People and the 6-book series of Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God. A graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary (2003) and a lifelong Episcopalian, she lives in Norwalk, Connecticut with her husband John, a 17.5 lb. cat named Shadow, and Chobe, a 7-year-old, tennis-ball-fetching, rescue black lab. They have two adult children (both teachers) and a 5-year-old granddaughter who is a budding environmental activist. Follow her at www.rowsofsharon.com.

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