THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

I. DERIVATIVES

A) Sign - Hebrew ôth / Greek semeion / Latin signum / Spanish signo or señal which
literally means “signal or indication”
B) Cross - Hebrew êc / Greek stauros / Latin crux / Spanish cruz

II. DEFINITION

A) Sign - something that indicates a fact

- a gesture that conveys information
- mark or symbol having a specific meaning
- a mark of which a thing is known
- to express or signify a gesture
B) Cross - an upright supporting a horizontal beam, used as an instrument of execution in the
ancient times by many different peoples.

Gen 40:19 “After which Pharaoh will take thy head from thee, and hang thee on a cross,
and the birds shall tear thy flesh.” (DV)

From various sources, however, it was compelled to carry only the horizontal beam to the
place of execution, the upright already having been put in place. The condemned criminal was
fastened to the cross either with nails or ropes, the weight of his body being partially supported
by a sort of saddle fixed in the upright. Whether or not there was also a footrest is not certain.1

III. THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS

There are three biblical uses of the term cross:

1. The cross in its literal aspect.

Lk 23:33 “And when they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him
and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.”

2. The cross as a symbolic representation of Redemption.

1Cor 1:18 “For the doctrine of the cross is foolishness to those who perish, but to those
who are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.”

3. It also means “death upon the cross”.

1
ATTWATER, Donald (Ed.). Catholic Home Encyclopedia. 1931, Macmillan Company, p. 61. GURALNIK, David
(Ed.). Webster’s New World Dictionary. 1971, pp. 690, 181.
 Co.l 1:20 “And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace
through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth
or things in heaven.” (NASB)

Heb 12:2 “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy
set before Him endured the cross, despising the same, and His sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God.” (NASB)

Phil 2:8 “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled Himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (NASB)

Different Forms of Cross:

1. CRUX IMMISSA - the type usually presented in art in which the upright beam extends
above the cross beam, traditionally held to be the cross upon which the redeemer suffered
and died, also called Latin Cross.
2. CRUX COMMISSA, or “Saint Anthony’s Cross”, in the form of the letter “T”.
3. GREEK CROSS - the cross beams are of equal length.

4. CRUX DECUSSATA, or “Saint Andrew’s Cross” in which the shape is letter “X”
because he suffered martyrdom by crucifixion on an X- shaped structure according to
Tradition.
5. “CRUX GAMMATA” or Gamma Cross, The Swastika - the Sanskrit name of eastern and
western Europe, looks like the “Crux Ansata” or Egyptian Cross. For the Egyptians, it is
a symbol of life or of the living.
6. ACUTA CRUX or CRUX SIMPLEX - simple vertical pole, sharpened at its upper end.
7. CHRIST’S MONOGRAM called “Chi” and “Rho”
i. → CHI = X + RHO = P_ initial of the name Christos
8. CRUX FLORIDA - flowering cross
9. PATRIARCHAL CROSS - used by Greek Fathers
10. PECTORAL CROSS - various uses in art and liturgy
11. PAPAL CROSS

Before Christianity the cross is a symbol of shame and curse. It is an instrument of

punishment, of great severity and cruelty, for slaves found guilty of serious crime. The cross is
absolutely forbidden to inflict this degrading and infamous punishment on a Roman citizen. But
because of the sacrificial death of Christ upon the cross, the cross became rapidly interwoven
into the theological construction of religious thinking.

Gal. 3:13-14 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us,
for it is written, “Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree” - in order that in
Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we
might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through faith.”

In the religious thinking of St Paul, a Christian should always make it a point that the
cross is always part in the preaching of the Good News. But still, we must accept the reality that

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the preaching of the cross of Christ would cause trouble to those who do not believe the
significance of the cross in our Christian lives.

Gal. 5:11 “…Why I am still persecuted? If that were true, then my preaching about the
cross of Christ would cause no trouble.” (GNB)

The cross is also presented by St Paul as the medium of reconciliation to God so that we
both have access in one Spirit to the Father through Jesus Christ.

Eph 2:16, 18 “And might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross at
having put to death the enmity… for through Him we both have our access
in one spirit to the Father.”

For those people in the olden times who had witnessed the barbaric execution of
criminals put to death on the cross, it becomes a symbol of fear, humiliation and curse. But
through Christ’s death upon the cross, peace has been affected through it, and penalty of the law
had been removed, through the triumph of the cross.

Col. 1:20 “Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to
Himself. God made peace through His Son’s sacrificial death on the cross
and so brought back to Himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.”
(GNB)

Col. 2:14-15 “He concealed the unfavorable record of our debts with its binding rules and
did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross. And on that cross
Christ freed Himself from the power of spiritual rulers and authorities; He
made a public spectacle of them by leading them as captives in His victory
procession.” (GNB)

Going back to history before Christianity, we have learned that crucifixion was one of the
most cruel and barbarous forms of death known to man. It was practiced, especially in times of
war by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Egyptians, and later by the Romans. So dreaded was it that
even in the pre-Christian era, the cares and troubles of life was often compared to a cross. Even
St Paul come to glory in the cross would be one of the absurdities of history were it not for the
fact that St Paul held the crucified as Christ of God.

Gal. 2:20 “… So that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life
that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and give His
life for me.” (GNB)

IV. CHRIST, THE CROSS AND HIS TEACHING

How typical the crucifixion of Christ was cannot be determined with exactitude, but
tradition is unanimous in saying, for one thing, that He was nailed to the cross rather than just
tied, although the Jehovah’s Witnesses teaches that Christ did not die on the cross but executed
on a pole. Aside from tradition, the four Gospels narrates that Christ was nailed on the cross (Jn

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19:17-18, 25; Mt 27:32-35; Mk 15:21-24; Lk 23:26-33). All who have had any knowledge of
crucifixion, either from study or from personal observation, have agreed that it was one of the
most cruel and painful methods of execution ever did devised. The Latin word for “tortured” is
derived from the word for cross.

In the preaching of the Apostles, from the very beginning the crucifixion of Christ
assumed a position of prime importance. Thus, the cross was proclaimed as the most impressive
proof of the love of Christ (Phil 2:8; Heb 12:2); and, because of the element of shame associated
with it in the minds of the people of the day, it was a sign of the faith of the early Christians, in
which they glorified Christ and for which they were willing to suffer persecution (1Cor 1:18; Gal
6:14; Heb 13:13). Thus the cross becomes the center of human history; and the highest
realization of Christian life is crucifixion with Christ in a mystical sense (Gal 2:20). From all of
this it is not surprising that the word cross came to be used, by Christ Himself, and after Him by
Christians of every age, as a synonym for trials and tribulations, by the patient endurance of
which perfection is to be attained.

Mt. 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with me, he must
forget himself, carry his cross, and follow me”. (GNB)

Mt. 10:38 “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my steps is not fit to be
my disciples” (Mk 8:34; Lk 9:23, 14:27).

The message of Christ is very clear: that we cannot be His disciple without a cross, and
that’s what a true Christian should be. Therefore it can be said that the cross is not only a symbol
of redemption but a symbol of Christianity. “God forbid,” says St Paul “That I should glory, save
in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14). No wonder, then, that the mere form of the
cross, which could remind the heathen only of a horrible and ignominious death, should be dear
first to the Christian heart; no wonder that Christians began their prayer, and sanctified each
action, with the sign of the cross which reminds us at once of that sacred passion, which is the
fount of all grace and mercy.

“At every step and movement, when we go in or out, when we dress or put on our shoes,
at the bath, at the table, when lights are brought, when we go to bed, when we sit down, whatever
it is which occupies us, we mark the forehead with the sign of the cross.”

V. THE CRUCIFIX

From early times the image of the cross (the crux exemplata as distinct from the crux
usualis, made with the hand) was familiar to Christians. Emperor Constantine placed a cross of
gold with precious stones in the chief hall of his palace. Indeed, so great was the devotion of
Christians to the cross that in Tertullian’s time they were charged, just as Catholics are charged
now, with worshipping the cross.2

2
Tertullian de Coron. 3, PL, 11, 80. ADDIS, William. Catholic Dictionary. University of Ireland, London Virtue
and Co., LTD, pp. 232-233.

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Gal. 3:1 “Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has hypnotized you and cast an evil
spell upon you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus Christ's death, as
clearly as though, I had waved a placard before you with a picture on it of
Christ dying on the cross.” (Tyndale Bible)

A crucifix is a cross on which the figure of Christ is painted, carved or otherwise

represented. Whenever a cross is referred to in connection with Catholic Liturgy (e.g., an Altar
Cross) a crucifix is to be understood. The crucifix is now seen on the altars of all ancient
churches except the Coptic and Nestorian; the traditional Catholic crucifix represented our
Lord, crowned, robed, alive, not hanging on but reigning from the cross.

VI. BLESSINGWITH THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

There are two points with regard to the Church’s use of the cross. The former is
connected with the mass. It is natural that the Church, accustomed to bless everything with the
sign of the cross, should bless the unconsecrated bread and wine. But it is surprising at first
sight that the sign of the cross should be frequently made over the body and blood of Christ.
Usually the rite is meant to indicate the blessing which flows forth from the body and blood of
Christ. At the words “Through whom, O Lord, thou dost ever create all these good things,
Sancti+Fiest them, givest them+life, bless+est them and bestowest them on us,” the sign of the
cross were originally meant to be made over the Eulogia or blessed bread placed on the altar
and then given to those who did not communicate. Lastly the signs of the cross made with the
host at the words, “Through Hi+m, and with Hi+m, and in Hi+m, is unto thee, God the
Father+Almighty in the unity of the Holy+Spirit, all honor and glory,” probably arose from the
custom of making the sign of the cross in naming the persons of the Trinity. Such at least is the
result of “Hefele’s careful investigation of the subject. According to another authority “the
signs of the cross need cause no difficulty. They are not merely ways of pointing, but are real
blessings. The whole consecration is a prayer wherein the change of the bread and wine into
the body and blood of Christ is effected. During this prayer we ask continually for that grace;
although the prayer takes time to say and God grants what we ask at one instant, not
necessarily the last instant of the prayer…. Consecration is the answer of that one prayer (1Cor
11:23-26, 1Cor 1:18). It takes place no doubt at the words of institution, but it is the effect of
the whole prayer.

The second point concerns the veneration of the cross on Good Friday, and that we may
regard the image in the crucifix in two ways: a) in itself, as a piece of wood or the like, and so
“no reverence is given to the image of Christ;” or b) as representing something else, and in this
way we may give to the cross relatively - i.e. to the cross which brings Christ in our minds;
there is the same honor which we give to Christ.

VII. PARTICLES OF THE TRUE CROSS

From the time that the cross on which Christ died was found by Helena, mother of
Constantine, Christians considered it a great joy to possess a particle of its sacred wood. We read
in the “peregrination etheriae” how on Good Friday at Jerusalem the bishop used to tell the
people, “Be ready here that you may be able to behold the holy wood of the cross, each one of us

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believing that it will be profitable to his salvation... a silver-gilt casket is brought which contains
the wood of the holy cross….” The custom is that the people come one by one and bowing down
at the table, kiss the wood and pass on. St Paulinus speaks of such a particle as a “protection of
the present and a pledge of eternal salvation.” Many such minute particles of the true cross are
still in the possession of religious houses, churches, or even private persons, usually the particle
is placed in a glass, like a monstrance which is closed with the pupal or episcopal seal. The
faithful usually show their devotion by kissing this glass; the particles may be incensed at solemn
mass, used to bless the people, etc. In the Bible, the Lord God appeared at the sacred tree or
wood in the OT, how much more the sacredness of the wood that touches the body and blood of
Christ, the cross of our salvation. Sacred things according to the Bible should be held sacred. The
cross is so sacred, sacred as the altar of God where the Giver of life was nailed to redeem the
world.3

Gen 18:1 “The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Sacred Trees of Mamre.” (GNB)

1Tim 4:4-5 “Everything that God has created is good; nothing is to be rejected, but
everything is to be received with a prayer of thanks, because God and the
prayer make it acceptable to God.” (GNB)

Rom 1:20 “Ever since God created the world, His invisible qualities, both His eternal
power and His divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in
the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all.”
(GNB)

Ex 30:29 “Dedicate these things in this ways, and they will be completely holy, and
anyone or anything that touches them will be harmed by the power of its
holiness.” (GNB)

Lev 10:10 “You must distinguish between what belongs to God and what is for general
use…” (GNB)

Col 1:20 “Through the Son, God decided to bring the whole universe back to Himself.
God made peace through His Son’s sacrificial death on the cross and so
brought back to Himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.” (GNB)

Heb 9:22 “Indeed, according to the law almost everything is purified by blood, and sins
are forgiven only if blood is poured out.” (GNB)

1Cor 1:17-18 “…but to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of
Christ be made void, for the doctrine of the cross is foolishness to those who
perish, but to those who are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.”
(DV)

3
Duchesne, “Christian Worship”. p. 510. ADDIS, William. Catholic Dictionary. London, Virtue and Co., LTD,
1952. p. 233.

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 VIII. FEAST OF THE CROSS

The finding of the cross, a feast (Sir 33:7-9) kept on May 3rd, commemorates an event
which occurred in 326 A.D. The heathen had filled up our Lord’s tomb with Rubbish, and
Emperor Hadrian had erected a temple of Venus on the spot. Constantine wrote to Macarius,
then bishop of Jerusalem, telling him that he wished to erect a costly Church over the Sepulcher,
and in 326 A.D., Helena, mother of Constantine instituted a search for his holy tomb. Not only
did she find the tomb itself, but also the three crosses near to it, with nails and the inscription on
our Lord’s cross, lying apart. Macarius unable to discover which of them the cross of Christ was,
brought a lady in the last extremity of illness to the spot, and when the last of the three crosses
touched her, she was suddenly cured. Helena sent the nails, the title, and a considerable part of
the true cross, thus miraculously attested, to Constantine. The rest of the cross was left at
Jerusalem, placed in a silver case, and in the succeeding age it was shown once a year, on Good
Friday, in order that it might be venerated by the faithful. This finding of the cross and the
miracle are attested by authors, so many, of such high authority, and who lived so near the event
(namely, Rufinos, Socrates, Sozomen, Theodoret), that we cannot reasonably refuse to believe it.
The Bollandists conjecture that the feast, which is mentioned in the sacramentary of St. Gregory,
was first keep in the Church of Santa Croce at Rome and that gradually the commemoration
spread through the West. Pope Gregory XI ordered a special office to be composed for the feast.
Clement VIII raised it to a double of the second class, and remove certain parts of the old office
which were founded on apocryphal “acts”.4

IX. EXALTATION OF THE CROSS

The exaltation of the cross was celebrated from ancient times in memory of the
miraculous apparition which Constantine saw in the year 312 A.D. as he was preparing to fight
against Maxentius. He beheld in the daylight a luminous cross, with the inscription “in hoc signo
vinces” which means “by this sign you shall conquer” and which gave him overwhelming
victory over his enemies in battle. The historian Eusebius assures us that he had heard the story
related on oath by Constantine himself.5 Thomassin supposes that Constantine himself may have
caused the feast to be instituted.6 The day was afterwards kept with greater solemnity when, after
his victory over the Persians in 627, Heraclius recovered the true cross, which Choseroes, the
Persian emperor, had carried away when he became master of Jerusalem, thirteen years before.
Coins were struck to commemorate the recovery of the cross. Heraclius first of all replaced the
cross in Jerusalem, and then for the sake of safety put it in the Church of St. Sophia at
Constantinople. Pope Clement VIII made the feast of the exaltation a greater double.

X. CROSS AND CROSS-BEARERS IN PROCESSIONS

The cross is carried between two acolytes bearing lights. The cross-bearer in the more
solemn processions should be a sub-deacon, distinct from the sub-deacon of the mass, and
wearing the vestments of his order. “The back of the cross”, says Gavantus, “should be turned to
the cross-bearer, as a symbol of the duty laid on Christians of following their master; but the

4
Eusibius Vita Constant. III, 49.
5
Eusibius, Vita Constan. I, 28.
6
Thomassin, Trate des Festes, II, 24.

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papal or archiepiscopal cross is turned towards the Pope or Archbishop, to show that the thought
of Christ crucified is to support them in their toils.”7 According to Baronius, the use of the cross
in processions may be traced further back than the year 393 A.D. This is how the cross was
venerated meaningfully and symbolically by the Church in the past.8

XI. THE CROSS AS SYMBOL OF CHRISTIANITY

As shown at the onset, sign is something that indicates a fact, a gesture that conveys
information with specific meaning, a mark by which a thing is known. Each nation in the world
have their own flag to identify what kind of people inhabited that country, or identify what
country they do belong. The Philippines, for example, when we sing our national anthem, we
raise our flag on the air. While we meditate the song our right hand is placed on our foreheads or
on our breasts. The sign and gesture express the love we have for our country. Placing our right
hand on our forehead or breast is an action by which a thing is known, i.e., the fact of our
Filipino identity. It also reminds us of our heroes who shed their blood to free us from foreign
invaders and died for the Motherland. How much more for the cross of Christ where Christianity
was born through the precious blood of the Son of God, compared to our flag where our heroes
died for it. If our Philippine flag is a symbol of our Filipino nation, so with the cross Christ is
symbolized. And because we are Christians, the cross of Christ is the symbol of Christianity
because Christianity is a religion founded by Christ.

Mt. 16:24 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.’” (NASB)

Mt. 10:38 “He who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.”
(NASB)

If the cross is an identity of Christ's followers, then the cross and Christianity are
inseparable in the propagation of the Good News.

Gal 5:11 “…Why am I still being persecuted? If that were true, then my preaching
about the cross of Christ would cause no trouble.” (GNB)

The cross was used by Christ as instrument of reconciliation so that all races of mankind
be united to the Church and be brought back to God into one body, Jews and Gentiles alike
without discrimination.

Eph 2:16-18 “By His death on the cross Christ destroyed their enmity; by means of the
cross He united both races into one body and brought them back to God. So
Christ came and preached the Good News of peace to all - to you Gentiles,
who were far away from God, and to the Jews, who were near to Him. It is
through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one
spirit into the presence of the Father.” (GNB)

7
Gavantus, P.I. Tit. 19; Cabrol in “Cath Enc.” Quilliet in DTHC; Gretser, “De Sancta Cruce.”
8
“Oui Crucis Nos Religiosos, Putat.” Tertullian Apol. 16, PL, I. 365. On the “Creeping to the Cross” in Old English
Churches, Rock, IV, 100. Catholic Dictionary. pp 233-234.

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 Because of this reality, the cross is not only a symbol of reconciliation but also a symbol
of redemption. It is because Christ died upon the cross for our salvation to demonstrate the
greatest love of all, the love of God to all mankind (Jn 3:16). In the OT God had given the
Israelites a symbol for them to be surely saved from death cause by the snake bite, a healing
symbol. The only condition by God for the Jews to be completely healed and be saved is to look
at that symbol and God will saved them. This healing symbol, the bronze snake of the OT
typifies Christ lifted up nailed on the cross in the NT, thus, it is not wrong to say that the cross is
the symbol of our redemption for us Christians.

Wis. 16:5-6 “This trouble lasted for only a little while, as a warning. Then you gave them a
healing symbol, the bronze snake, to remind them of what your law requires.
If a person looks at that symbol, he was cured at the snakebite - not by what
he saw, but by you, the savior of mankind.” (GNB)

Jn. 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way
the Son of man must be lifted up.” (GNB)

Gal. 3:1 “Oh, foolish Galatians! What magician has hypnotized you and cast an evil
spell upon you? For you used to see the meaning of Jesus Christ as clearly s
though I had waved a placard before you with a picture on it of Christ dying
on the cross.” (TB)

XII. THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

Question: Why do we make the sign of the cross?

Answer: Because we Christians are followers of Christ. We cannot follow Christ without a
cross, without suffering, without being put to death with Christ on His cross.

Mt 10:38 “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my steps is not fit to be my
disciple.” (GNB)

Gal 2:19-20 “…In order that I might lead for God, I have been put to death with Christ on
his cross, so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.
This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave His life for me,” (GNB)

Question: In making the sign of the cross what’s of faith do we call to mind?

Answer: In making the sign of the cross we call to mind the existence of God, the mystery of the
Blessed Trinity, and the Incarnation and death of the Son of God.

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 A) The Sign of the Cross

Ezek 9:5-6 “Now you may pass through the city after Him and strike. Your eyes shall not
look with pity; show no mercy! Do away with them all old men, young men,
virgins, children and women - but do not touch anyone marked with a
cross.” (CCB)

B) Existence of God

Ps. 90:2 “Before you created the hills or brought the world into being, you were
eternally God, and will be God forever.” (GNB)

C) The mystery of the Blessed Trinity

Rev. 4:8 “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God almighty.”

Mt. 28:19 “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

1Jn 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Ghost; and these three are one.” (KJV)

Sir 43:32 “Mysteries greater than these are still unknown; we know only a fraction of
His work.” (GNB)

D) His Incarnation

Jn 1:1, 14, 18 “Before the world was created, the Word already existed; He was with God,
and He was the same as God…. The Word become a human being… no one
has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the
Father’s side.” (GNB)

E) Incarnation and death of the Son of God

1Cor 15:1-4 “And now, I want to remind you, my brothers, of the good news which I
preached to you, which you received, and which your faith stand firm. That
is the Gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the
Gospel if you hold firmly to it - unless it was for nothing that you believed. I
passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that
Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures; that He was buried and
that He was raise to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures.”
(GNB)

Question: “What the sign of the cross signifies?”

Answer: The mention of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, reminds us the three Persons in God
(1Jn 5:7, KJV). The expression “In the name”, not “In the names”, shows that the three Persons

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are but one God (Gen 1:26, 3:22, 11:5-6); and itself is a reminder that the Son of God became
man and died upon it for our salvation.

Isa 55:13 “And it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not
be cut-off.” (KJV) (Mt 28:19)

XIII. COMMON OBJECTION ON THE SIGN OF THE CROSS9

Objection 1: Did Christ make a sign of the cross?

Answer: It is more than enough for Christ to die on the cross for our salvation. No need for Him
to make a sign of the cross because the mark of cross is for the salvation of man and not for the
salvation of Christ.

Ezek 9:4-6 “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and
make crosses on the foreheads of the men that moan and groan for all the
abominations that are committed within it. And to these he said in my
hearing ‘Go through the city behind him and strike; let your eyes have no
mercy, do not spare; you are to kill old man and young and maiden and
child and women in wholesale slaughter, but do not come near any man that
has cross on him.’” (The Bible in Living English).

Objection 2: “Did the apostles make the sign of the cross?”

Answer: (1) If we could not find a single verse in the Bible that the apostles did make the sign of
the cross, does it mean to say that it is a sin to do it? The Bible says that there is no sin
committed if there is no law prohibiting such act.

Rom 4:15 “The Law brings down God’s anger; but where there is no law, there is no
disobedience of the law.” (GNB)

(2) The sign of the cross has been prophesied in the OT and a fulfillment has to happen in
the NT. Through the historical Church it was fulfilled gradually in the course of time.

Ezek 9:3-6 “The glory of the God of Israel rose of the Cherubs… He called the man in
white with a scribe’s inkhorn in his belt and said, ‘Go all through the city,
all through Jerusalem, and mark a cross on the foreheads.’” (Jerusalem
Bible)

Gal 6:16-17 “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy,
and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me; for I
bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (KJV)

Gal 6:14 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ.” (KJV)
9
Life Today Magazine March 1989.

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Mt 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the
teachings of the Prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to
make their teachings come true.” (GNB)

Since early times, Christians used the sign of the cross to identify themselves from the
pagans or non-believers. In 200 A.D., Tertullian wrote. “Whenever we come in or go out, in
dressing, at the bath… in resting… whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads
with the sign of the cross.”10 As this text indicates, the primitive form of the sign of the cross is a
small one on the forehead. Once the persecutions were over, Christians began to make the sign
with two fingers, to counteract the practice of the Monophysites (Christian heretics) who
believed that Christ had only one nature. To express this, they made the sign of the cross with
one finger.

Catholics profess two natures in Christ, the nature of God and of man (Phil 2:5-8). So,
they expressed this faith by making the sign of the cross with two fingers. It is probable that from
here and with passing of time the present large sign of the cross was derived. If other Christian
groups do not like the practice; let them, even as history reveals the opposite of what they
contend.11

Dt. 6:6-9 “And these words (Mt 28:19) which I command thee this day, shall be in
thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt
talk to them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the
way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt
bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between
thine eyes.” (KJV)

Objection 3: The sign of the cross is the sign of the devil according to Rev 13:16-17.

Answer: Rev 13:16-17 does not mention the sign of the cross. The mark being mention is of the
devil. Not all mark or sign is of the devil. The mark of the cross is of God and not of the devil
(cf. Ezek 9:4-6; Dt 6:6-9; Gal 6:14; 16-17, Jerusalem Bible/Christian Community Bible, Bible in
Living English). The name of the beast that provides the number 666 is the number of a man.
Catholics never used the name of any man on earth in making the sign of the cross but what we
mention is the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19).

Objection 4: The sign of the cross is of pagan origin, and so we, non-Catholics oppose this
practice of the Catholic Church. Also, giving emphasis of the cross is unchristian.

Answer: It is not a surprise for us Catholics. The Bible itself testifies your objection.

1Cor 1:18 “For the doctrine of the cross is foolishness to those who perish, but to those
who are saved, that is, to us the power of God.” (Doway Bible)

10
Tertulian, De Coron. 3, PL. II, 80.
11
Catholic Dictionary. p. 233.

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Phil. 3:17-19 “Dear brothers, pattern your lives after mine and notice who else lives up to
my example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again now with
tears in my eyes, there are so many who walk along the Christian road who
are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal loss…”
(Tyndale Bible)

Question: What does the cross on Catholic churches signify?

Answer: The cross on Catholic Church towers shows that the Church is dedicated to the service
of the crucified One, and by pointing heavenward it reminds us that we are to reach heaven by
the way of the cross (Jn 14:6; Mt 16:24, 10:38).

Question: Why do Catholics make the sign of the cross at the Gospel reading during the mass
and Liturgy of the Word?

Answer: Before the Gospel in the Mass, the priest and people make a small sign of the cross on
their forehead, lips, and breast, to show that they wish to carry Christ's teaching in mind and
speech and in heart (Jn 5:38-39).

Let us never be ashamed of the cross, remembering that all Christians are bidden to take
up their cross and follow Jesus (Mt 16:24).

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