Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
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What is the correct way of drawing the sign of the cross?

To make the sign of the Cross we use three fingers: the thumb, the pointer and the middle, we join them together representing the Holy Trinity and we start the sign from the forehead moving to the chest then to the left side then the right side which means God the Father sent down His Only Begotten Son to save us and move us from the left to the right (Mt 25:33).

Over the centuries, Christians used different ways to draw the sign of the cross. Originally, they used one finger, the thumb, of the right hand, as explained by St. Sevirus of Ashmunein (Exodus 29:12; 31:18, Leviticus 4:6,17,18,25,30,34; 8:15; 9:9, Deuteronomy 9:10, Luke 11:20). The sign starts from the forehead, moving to the bottom of the chest then to the left side and then the right side which means God the Father sent down His Only Begotten Son to save us and move us from the left to the right (Matthew 25:33). In recent times, some Copts as well as other Christians use the first two fingers with the thumb joined together in reference to the Holy Trinity.
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