The Sign of the Cross

The cross in the life of an Orthodox person has many meanings. On the one hand, it symbolizes the suffering that every Christian must endure with humility and completely, relying on God's will. Also, an orthodox cross is itself a testimony to the kind of faith a person professes. He is the embodiment of that powerful force that can protect against attacks and demons and evil people. It is known that many miracles were accomplished only by the sign of the cross, superimposed with great faith. And in conclusion it is necessary to say that one of the main sacraments of Orthodoxy - the Eucharist - is impossible without this symbol.

For the first time a person meets a cross at the moment of baptism. At the time of his accomplishment, the "Tailor" is dressed for the baby, who will be with him all his life. But this is only an external, formal affiliation with Christianity. An Orthodox person should not be limited to this rite only. However, this is only later, and at first, how strong his faith will be in the future is influenced by the people surrounding the child, their personal example. The form of the cross was not approved by the cathedrals canonically. Saints believed that it should be read already by Jesus Christ himself, and not by the number of bars. Therefore, there are many crosses in the Orthodox tradition. These are four-pointed, eight-and six-pointed; Petal; Having a semicircle below; Wedge shaped; Teardrop-shaped and others. Catholics use only a cross having four corners and an elongated lower part. But the divergences from the Orthodox cross are not just in form, but in content. The Catholic church depicts Christ too plausibly, the arms and legs of the Savior are nailed with three nails, and not four. The inscription on the plate is also different.

The symbolic image of the cross completely repeats its graphic drawing. By imposing it, a person thus shows the most holy Orthodox faith. Only it is necessary to do it accurately, with concentration, sensible and earnest. Three fingers of the right hand to fold together and touch them first to the forehead, then to the stomach, and from it to rise first to the right shoulder, and then - to the left. In this case, the large, middle and index fingers are folded together , and the little finger and the ring finger are firmly pressed to the palm of your hand.

The cross sign plays a huge role for the believer. Doing it carefully, with reverence, trembling and fear of God, he sanctifies himself. The position of the hand on the forehead cleanses the human mind; The position on the stomach (or on the chest) cleanses the desires of the heart and carnal feelings, the position of the hands on the shoulders strengthens the bodily forces.

The first three fingers (this is the big, middle and index), composed together to perform the sign of the cross, symbolize faith in the Most Holy Trinity, and the nameless and little finger signify the faith in Christ, who is both a man and God. The Holy Trinity is our Lord. God exists in three persons, although He is one: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Between themselves, they are all equal, since inseparably all three persons form a single Deity. Between them there is neither the elder nor the less. And Jesus Christ is called the Lord, because he has a divine origin and, without ceasing to be God, lived on earth as a man.

Of course, the sign of the cross does not come when it pleases. There are certain rules that indicate when to apply it. Necessarily the cross is performed before every prayer and at the end, after the priest exclaims: "Blessed be God" during the morning service. It is also appropriate when the name of the Most Holy Trinity or the Blessed Virgin Mary ascends during the reading of the prayer "Honest ...". One must not forget to impose the sign of the cross, and when naming the saint, revered that day, at the main moments of service (for example, when "Yours is from Yours").

People who just started attending church, at first can not properly baptize, pray, often embarrassed by this. But do not get upset and even lose heart: both knowledge and experience will necessarily come with time.