how to cross yourself orthodoxhow to cross yourself orthodox

Sometimes, we all make the sign of the cross after saying prayers. Please help me figure this out. We are in the Liturgy to greet God with our prayers and worship, not to distract others. Slacks should be cleaned and pressed. We have the opportunity to reflect the image of Christ within us by our actions. He will make the sign of the cross, and place his right hand over yours. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. God views your internal beauty, not the external.]. As you venerate an icon, show proper respect to the person depicted in the icon -- the same respect you would show the person by venerating him or her in an appropriate place. Let this be the way you approach all of worship. In that I believe you would agree, as I do not hear you saying that crossing yourself is a salvation issue. Some are cultural; some are pious customs. A 'heart' from me will indicate my appreciation for your answer. How to Cross Yourself (Russian Orthodox): 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow But wait until coffee hour to say "Hi" to them. While coat and tie are not mandatory, shirts should have collars and be buttoned to the collar (the actual collar button may be left undone, but two or three buttons undone is inappropriate). The disciples were not enlightened until after the resurrection of their Lord and Master. Isn't it great to come to church and see friends and family members? Orthodox typically light candles when coming into the church, and that is usually the This is primarily because when we come to the church and its services we are entering the Kingdom of God on earth, His habitation, and we choose to honor this sacred place by our attentiveness to what is proper and ordered. Also for abuse of modern traditions against early Church practice, nothing in Scripture tells us to hold our right hand & left hand together to kneel by our bed, to close our eyes, and to sing a hymn written in 1850s, and wear a suit or not wear one, when we go to Church :-). [Some hierarchs have compared leaving church before the dismissal to Judas leaving the Mystical Supper early. Worship has a beginning ("Blessed is the Kingdom") and an end ("Let us depart in peace"). Not that it is always a bad thing. When sitting in church, keep those feet on the floor, ready to stand at attention (which is what "Let us attend" means). I don't see any problem with the website either. 6:14); "Stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved" (Philippian 4:1). Use your right hand, even if you are left-handed. Christ is the Light of the world. In receiving a blessing from a bishop or priest one does not make the sign of the Cross beforehand. "(1 Peter 2:9). However, there are times in the service when crossing oneself (thumb and first two fingers touching each other, third and fourth fingers folded into the palm: touching head first, to stomach, right shoulder to left) is called for: To cross: when you hear one of the variations of the phrase Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; before venerating an icon, Gospel, or Cross; when blessed with an icon, Cross, Gospel, or Chalice; entering and exiting the temple; when passing before the Altar. Stay in church and thank God for his precious gifts. It is not proper to kiss an icon in the face. So what did all those Christians do for 400 years? You would kiss their hand, and only of they invited you would you even dare to kiss them on the cheek. No one has the moral right to correct another persons beliefs. antiochian orthodox christian archdioceseof north america. (Orthodox Study Bible page 1748) Of course we should not take away from or add to the Bible but Galatians 1: 8,9 clarifies that that means the gospel which has been preached not good practices of the church that predate the canon of the scriptures by 200 years. David Barr is priest at St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church in Austin, Texas. Worship has a beginning (Blessed is the Kingdom) and an end (Let us depart in peace). Don't be a pew blocker. In some Orthodox cultures, crossing one's legs is taboo and considered to be very disrespectful. To leave immediately after Communion is to treat church like a fast food restaurant where we come and go as we please. I'm close behind you friend I'm currently Sotuhern Baptist, but am seriously considering the jump to Methodism-daughter of Anglicanism. The three fingers represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; the two fingers folded down represent the human and divine natures of Jesus Christ. . You can cross yourself ; 1st = Touch Your Head , 2nd = Tourch Your Body 3th = Touch Your Right Shoulder 4th = Touch Your Left Shoulder And When Doing this Just Say "Name Of The Father , Son and Holy Spirit Amen" Every Orthodox Christian should know how to do this without a second thought. This article, which first appeared in The Word, January 1997, pp. And remember, blot off your lipstick before kissing. And the same is true of our dress. The priest says, "With the fear of God and faith and love, draw near." The floor shouldn't be covered with Cheerios! on Twitter: "Fr. Seraphim was once approached by a young spiritual And for those of you who just can't handle sitting in the middle of the pew [or those with small children who may need to make a fast exit - NTK], take the outside aisle spot and graciously allow those coming after you to go past (by moving out for them so they can get by). Let this be the way you approach all of worship. In many Christian traditions, a priest or other ordained church leader may conduct a formal blessing over a cross. The same is true during a church service. Chairs or benches on the side walls are usually reserved for the elderly and infirm. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts You are for us a help indeed and a power to our rulers, strength of the righteous and the dignity of presbyters, by the sign of Thee are we rescued from every ill. Scepter of power invincible wherewith we are shepherded; weapon of peace awe-inspiring, accompanied by the angelic host. Don't allow this prevailing attitude to enter into your Orthodox Christian piety. In the Orthodox "old countries", there are usually no pews in the churches. Try not to interrupt the Liturgy with your entrance. Remember the time when people put on their "Sunday Best" to go to church? The offering envelopes in the pews are meant for our visitors. The Ultimate Guide to Orthodox Church Etiquette Saint John the It has been noted that lipstick on the Communion spoon will create a greasy residue on the chalice, which will be most difficult for the priest to contend with! You are using an out of date browser. Our North American culture of the 21st Century is rather casual, even subtly anarchist, in its approach to life. Most church etiquette is based on simple common sense and a respect for God and others. In fact, all too often, dress in church has become too casual. Try not to interrupt the Liturgy with you entrance. If you arrive after the Divine Liturgy begins, try to enter the church quietly - and observe what is happening. But wait until coffee hour to say "Hi" to them. I suggest you find writings of the Early Church Fathers to fill in the gaps you seem to be missing here. In the western style, the movement from the left to the right represents Jesus descent into hades (the left side) and His ascension into Heaven (the right side). Some are essential; some are not. Prayers Will Always Be Answered. Seraphim when asking for a blessing. Crossing yourself | Christian Forums Father Maggos explains when to make the Sign of the Cross and addresses important tips on how to make it respectfully. The sign of the cross is used in several Christian traditions, but it is most prominent in Catholic and Orthodox tradition. The act of "Placing the cross on oneself" is a request for a blessing from God. Hold your thumb and first two fingers together, and fold the other two fingers down against the base of your thumb. The oldest and Eastern Orthodox form of crossing oneself is to touch the two fingers and thumb to the forehead, then to the breast, then . Why do Orthodox Christians cross themselves differently than Roman Catholics? Reverence and good manners are required so as not to disturb those who are already engaged in prayer, but, even more importantly, as an expression of sincere faith and awareness of the presence of the Lord. St. Gaudentius of Brescia, a fourth/fifth century saint, said: "Let the sign of the cross be continually made on the heart, on the mouth, on the forehead, at table, at the bath, in bed, coming in and going out, in joy and sadness, sitting, standing, speaking, walking; in short, in all our actions. Everyone has seen it. Church Etiquette or Some Things You Should Know While in Church (Fr - How to cross yourself orthodox?\r \rIf you have more specific queries, please feel free to reach out through comments or chat. The priest announces, "In the fear of God, with faith and love, draw near.". Talking during Church Isn't it great to come to church and see friends and family members? Church Etiquette. Venerable Ananias the Iconographer - Troparion & Kontakion - Orthodox Perhaps you are spending time with the wrong Protestants. Our resistance is not based on a lack of knowledge, but of a real human dread of pain and suffering. Crossing yourself is a physical expression of worship and a symbol of the person and nature of Jesus Christ. For those children who get snacks, please don't feed them while in the line for Holy Communion (this applies to holy bread as well). The traditional posture for prayer and worship in the Orthodox Church has been to stand. The Apostle Paul says: "Watch ye. Heavenly glory of Christ, who is ever granting to the world His mercy so great! [We need to ask that women refrain from wearing lipstick in church. How to Bless a Cross: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Anyone may conduct a blessing over a cross, but understand that the blessing is a plea to God, not a guarantee of any effect. Feel free to comment. Your cross indicates you are Orthodox, so I assume you know the Orthodox method. And one last note: try to keep the snack mess down to a minimum. Did you know that the proper way to greet a priest or bishop is to ask his blessing and kiss his right hand? The traditional posture for prayer and worship in the Orthodox Church has been to stand. Again, shorts are not appropriate church wear. In North America,we have tended to build our churches with pews, and since we have them, we need to figure out when we may sit and when we should stand. It just isn't appropriate to greet people and have a conversation with them during the services. But in God's presence, we need to make every attempt to fight this pressure to move on to the next thing on the day's agenda. " Church etiquette, then, is just a set of customs for behavior in the church or on the grounds. Upon entering the Cathedral, at all times, but especially during services, an individual should remember that he or she is in the House of God. If people paid more attention to the historical and cultural context that the scriptures were written in, we wouldn't have so much disunity and disagreement today. I am a former Baptist, Non-denominational, seeking to become an Anglican (Episcopalian). After all, the priest and bishop are not just "one of the boys." Other than that it is probably all right to light a candle. Protestant Anon,All things related to righteousness are "a salvation issue." Venerating Icons When you enter the church, it is traditional to venerate the icons. We are in church to worship God in Holy Trinity. The sign of the cross is one of the most ancient and revered customs of the Church. I am not sure how its done and whether its different from catholic style. Hosted by Father Angelo Maggos. JavaScript is disabled. When you kiss their hands, you show respect for their office - they are the ones who "bless and sanctify" you and who offer the holy gifts on your behalf. Icons, crosses, the communion spoon, and the hand of the priest when we receive a blessing, are no place for this substance. Welcome to JTO. When in doubt, stand. To "cross yourself," take your right hand and put your thumb, index, and middle finger together. Reddit, Inc. 2023. Sola Scriptura is simply the belief that all things necessary for salvation are within the Scriptures. is definitely out). Always during the Gospel reading, the Little and Great Entrances, theAnaphora, the distribution of Holy Communion, whenever the priest gives a blessing, and the Dismissal. Not because it is "wrong" to ever cross legs, but rather because it is too casual -- and too relaxed -- for being in church. How to make the sign of the cross (Orthodox Christian) - YouTube Eat and run at McDonald's - but stay in church and thank God for his precious gifts. Leaving Before Dismissal Leaving church before the Dismissal - besides being rude - deprives us of a blessing. is definitely out). When should you definitely stand? So next time you greet your priest or bishop, don't shake his hand, ask for his blessing. Much of church etiquette is based on common sense and showing respect for God and others. Approach the priest or bishop with your right hand over your left hand and say, "Father (or "Master" in the case of the bishop), bless." Content should not be treated as a substitute for offline interaction . Should we cross our legs in the temple during services? Let us know what other shorts you'd like to see. After all, you don't go to be seen by everyone else - you go to meet and worship God. No. All rights reserved. "You're supposed to cross yourself before icons, not people", Fr. Even better, wait until after church to put it on. Sitting The traditional posture for prayer and worship in the Orthodox Church has been to stand. In fact, the scriptures as we have them today didn't even come to be until about 400 A.D. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. It is never wrong to stand in church. Chairs or benches on the side walls are usually reserved for the elderly and infirm. Method 1 Western Tradition 1 Follow this tradition in Latin Rite and Protestant churches. If these Fathers of the faith could say what scriptures would be included why can they not also say what they mean? Not because it is wrong to ever cross your Legs, but because it is too casual, and too relaxed, for being in the temple. But there are times when it is specifically proper to cross yourself, and times when you should not. How to Cross Yourself: from the Concise Lexicon of Christianity Shorts of any type are not appropriate for church. If you're going somewhere after church where you need to dress casually, bring a change of clothing with you and change after coffee hour. This is called Sola Scriptura(ignore what the church has always said the scripture means just interpret it yourselfjust you and God). The Orthodox cross is an easy gesture that is most commonly repeated three times while saying: "God bless and protect" each time. In our North American culture, while there are no real taboos concerning crossing one's legs, we tend to cross our legs to get comfortable while sitting. We deprive ourselves of blessings by not being still and participating in God's holiness. In all areas of our lives, we should offer Christ our best. How To Properly Cross Yourself - BikeHike Cookie Notice These are the same fingers Serbs use to make cross in the religious gesture. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Troparion Tone 8. We must not allow this prevailing tendency to enter into our Christian piety, whether at home or at church. Can you confirm? HOW TO SHOW PROPER RESPECT AND REVERENCE IN CHURCH, Kiss (Don't Shake) the Priest's or Bishop's Hand. After all, the priest and bishop are not just "one of the boys." Men:Men should also dress modestly. Icons are not simply portraits representing people, but graphic presentations of spiritual truths that are visual aids to contemplation and prayer. The priest says, "With the fear of God and faith and love, draw near." For example, after we recite the Lord . At the same time, you need to be careful neither to grab too hard and trip up the Great Entrance, nor to push people out of the way. In some parts of the country, this is not common today. How to kiss icons? How to cross and bow? : r/OrthodoxChristianity - Reddit From time-to-time, we need to address some of these various etiquette issues to inform our communities how we can best understand each other and work together to worship the all-holy Trinity. Father Maggos explains how to make the Sign of the Cross and the meaning and symbolism regarding finger placement and motions. You know, there was only ONE Church for the first 1054 years and, with the exception of a few heretical groups, they pretty decided things in consensus.The doctrine of the Trinity is not explicitly lined out in the scriptures. Orthodox typically light candles when coming into the church - and that is usually the best time to light them, but there are times when candles should not be lit. Same with the Orthodox Cross, depending on where you look at it from the bottom crossbeam is slanted upwards towards the left (although from the back it will be to the right). [Women should not wear pants to church.]. fully Man. Archpriest Theodore J. Mikovich (1999-2009), The Very Rev. Women Dresses should be modest. How to cross yourself orthodox? - YouTube Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral1175 Main Street, Winnipeg, ManitobaR2W 3S4, Entering the Church - Arrive on time and be prepared, Refrain from socializing during the Liturgy -. When venerating (kissing) and icon, pay attention to where you kiss. Sola Scriptura is not that each individual can interpret Scripture as he wills. The Holy Orthodox Church is perhaps one of the last social institutions where dignity, protocol, respect, and reverence are maintained. All rights reserved. When should you definitely stand? At the chalice before or after taking Communion (you might hit the chalice with your hand). We light them as we pray, making an offering to accompany our prayers. Ms. Marty. Remember, pew blocking isn't hospitable - nor is it an efficient method of seating. This has made me question symbolism as the Impenitent thief was on the right of Jesus. Sign of the cross - Wikipedia Not to Cross At the chalice before or after taking Communion (you might hit the chalice with your hand); when the priest or bishop blesses saying, "Peace be to all" - bow slightly and receive the blessing; when receiving a blessing from a bishop or a priest (kissing the right hand of the bishop or priest is appropriate, but not making the sign of the cross). 23 Jun 2023 15:53:54 They have. How to properly cross yourself stmarylivonia 424 subscribers Subscribe 1.9K Share 282K views 12 years ago Father George Shalhoub from the Basilica of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church teaches. In the Orthodox old countries, there are usually no pews in the churches. I've been doing the cross similar to the orthodox way then. Pew Blocking Never heard of pew blocking? Hosted by Father Angelo Maggos of the . Approach the priest or bishop with your right hand over your left hand and say "Father (or "Master" in the case of the bishop), bless." 3 While antidoron is not Holy Communion, it is blessed bread and as such, should be eaten carefully so that crumbs don't fall all over the place. I am glad you are only 10% away from becoming Orthodox :). No. When you depart on a journey, when you begin your work, when you go to study, when you are alone, and when you are with other people, seal yourself with the Holy Cross on your forehead, your body, your chest, your heart, your lips, your eyes, your ears. You seem way over-sensitive. The time to arrive at church is before the service starts, but for some unknown reason, it has become the custom -- or rather the bad habit -- for some to come to church late. In Christianity, the sign of the cross is a ritual blessing that is made by tracing an image of an upright cross across one's body with one's hand. Steps 1 Use the right hand. First of all, it is fully acceptable (even preferable) to stand for the entire service. Men Men should also dress modestly. journeytoorthodoxy@gmail.comHope to hear from you.Nathan. If you are a Protestant, dont get all huffy and say, We dont cross ourselves. Log in, Copyright 2009-2023 by St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church, Copyright 2009-2023 by St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church (or designated author(s)), The Very Rev. If you do, you will probably have good church etiquette. But in Gods presence, we need to make every attempt to fight this pressure to move on to the next thing on the days agenda. I believe that the Protestant Church has much to learn and gain from reading the early fathers who have been ignored in the Protestant Church for far too long. Jeans (of any color) are usually too casual for church, especially ones with patches or holes. Slacks should be cleaned and pressed. Here are some specific guidelines we use in our parishes: Children:Only young children (under 10) should wear shorts to church -- and then only dress shorts. Curl in the pinky and ring finger, as if they were in a fist. Chewing gum during Liturgy is a No-No for everyone! The contents of this website are copyright 2000-2014 Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. All comments are screened prior to posting. Shoes or sandals should be clean and tied. It is best not to cross yourself directly before receiving Communion, because there is a risk you will accidentally hit the base of the chalice and cause the Blood to spill. To cross yourself Orthodox, start by standing with your head slightly bowed, your right hand forming a fist and your right thumb protruding. We live in a fast-paced world where we seem to be hurrying from place to place. 16:13); ''Stand,therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (Ephes. Kiss (Don't Shake) the Priest's or Bishop's Hand Did you know that the proper way to greet a priest or bishop is to ask his blessing and kiss his right hand? I have seen black Baptists crossing themselves. How to Cross Yourself (Russian Orthodox): 7 Steps (with Pictures) Praying in a Group. What is the correct way to cross yourself? - Heimduo Lighting candles is an important part of Orthodox worship. How do Orthodox Christians cross themselves? | Christian Forums Dress, music, language, values, morals, and entertainment all reflect a trend to downgrade life from what God intended it to be. When we pray, it is typical to do our cross after the prayer is done. It's that practice of sitting right next to the aisle so that no one else can get by to sit in the middle of the pew. 2:20) and humble themselves as God did in Christ Jesus (Phil 2:1-9). A person looking around on a Sunday morning may notice that different people cross themselves at different times. The Orthodox cross is an easy gesture that is most commonly repeated three times while saying: "God bless and protect" each time. And the same is true of our dress. Leaving church before the Dismissal -- besides being rude -- deprives us of a blessing. The priest, looking at the parishioners, blesses from left to right. Sunday Dress Remember the time when people put on their "Sunday best" to go to church? Reddit, Inc. 2023. Note there are some occasions where you bow without crossing . Keep in mind that there are different traditions even among the Orthodox faithful.