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The Sign of the Cross: Apostolic Tradition, Not Upside-Down Cross

The speaker addresses a misconception that making the sign of the cross forms an upside-down cross. He explains that the forehead marks the center point where God is, and the sign is a confession of Christ crucified and a reminder that believers belong to Him. Christians have practiced the sign of the cross since the earliest centuries, handed down through apostolic tradition.

Unlike modern practices such as altar calls and youth groups, the sign of the cross has a long history in the ancient church. Christian tradition is something received from those who came before, not invented for oneself.

Key moments

  1. Making the sign of the cross is not an upside-down cross; the forehead marks the center point where God is.
  2. The sign is a confession of Christ crucified and a reminder that we belong to Him.
  3. Christians have practiced the sign of the cross since the earliest centuries and it has been handed down through apostolic tradition.
  4. Modern practices like altar calls and youth groups lack the long history that the sign of the cross has in the ancient church.
  5. Christian tradition is not something we invent for ourselves; it is something we receive from those who came before us.
7 opinions in the discussion 7 participants, 2 replies to each other The opinion with the most support Also: the cross of Saint Peter is upside down. Anyone calling it demonic is just buying into Hollywood nonsense. Read the discussion
37 comments at the source Original on Instagram

Discussion · 7

Opinions are anonymous retellings of real comments from the original discussion. The same colour marks the same participant.

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  • opinion#2638

    Also: the cross of Saint Peter is upside down. Anyone calling it demonic is just buying into Hollywood nonsense.

  • opinion#2639

    If you do it the PROPER way, you will actually touch your belly button and both shoulders! The saints wrote about this if you go look. Rushing through the sign of the cross is really prideful and does no good. Do it slowly, with intention and prayer, don't just speed through it to "look cool" in front of people or whatever.

    • opinion#2641

      Sorry, but who exactly is crossing themselves to "look cool" 🤣 If I'm out in public I do it fast so I don't draw attention to myself.

    • opinion#2642

      When I was a new catechumen, honestly, at first I'd cross myself in church with a lot of pride. Or I'd do it boldly in public so people would notice, I wanted to be seen. It's a fine line: we shouldn't be ashamed to make the sign of the cross, but we also shouldn't be thinking about other people while doing it! Just passing on a lesson I had to learn myself.

  • opinion#2640

    Let this remind us not to rush the sign of the cross. The bottom point should land on your stomach. Going too fast just makes us look sloppy.

  • opinion#2636

    The finger position: index and middle finger up, ring finger and pinky pointing down, that's the Trinity, fully God and fully Man who came down to earth. Then forehead, BELLY BUTTON, right shoulder, left shoulder, and that gives you a right side up cross.

  • opinion#2637

    I'm a Baptist Pentecostal and I really like using the sign of the cross in prayer and everyday life.