The sign of the cross
In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit
now and for ever. Amen.
graphic (c) Netta Ewing
In the Name of the Father SATB – Full Score
audio pending
The use of the sign of the cross can be traced back in the early church at least to the 3rd century. It was used during Baptism and often at the beginning of prayer – and is still traditional in most churches.
It consists in the tracing of the shape of a cross with three fingers (to represent the Trinity) touching the forehead, the chest, and each shoulder (left to right or right to left).
Pope Francis said: “By tracing the cross on our body, we remind ourselves how much God loved us, to the point of giving his life for us; and we repeat to ourselves that his love envelops us completely, from top to bottom, from left to right, like an embrace that never abandons us.”( June 4 2023).
Many of the churches will mark the 17th centenary of the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) at which the christian churches agreed on the Nicene Creed as representing their faith. The ‘Sign of the Cross’ and its accompanying prayer are a mini-creed.
