Question:
In the local Pulpit Swap at our parish church, the visiting RC priest did something I’ve seen many other Roman Catholics do, and some Episcopalians: the sign of the cross (on oneself) is finished with bringing the hand to the lips. The visitor said this represented kissing the cross, and was something he’d started doing after seeing Roman Catholics in the Southwest ( New Mexico)doing it. Is there some particular symbolic significance to this gesture, some historical reason for it, or anything? Thanks for any information. KW
It’s a Latino thing as far as I can tell. — Matthew Weber Curatorial Assistant Music Library University of California, Berkeley A soft answer turneth away wrath. The Holy Bible (The Old Testament): _The Proverbs_ 15:1
Response:
In the local Pulpit Swap at our parish church, the visiting RC priest did something I’ve seen many other Roman Catholics do, and some Episcopalians: the sign of the cross (on oneself) is finished with bringing the hand to the lips. The visitor said this represented kissing the cross, and was something he’d started doing after seeing Roman Catholics in the Southwest ( New Mexico)doing it. Is there some particular symbolic significance to this gesture, some historical reason for it, or anything? Thanks for any information. KW
Response:
In the local Pulpit Swap at our parish church, the visiting RC priest did something I’ve seen many other Roman Catholics do, and some Episcopalians: the sign of the cross (on oneself) is finished with bringing the hand to the lips. The visitor said this represented kissing the cross, and was something he’d started doing after seeing Roman Catholics in the Southwest ( New Mexico)doing it. Is there some particular symbolic significance to this gesture, some historical reason for it, or anything? Thanks for any information. KW
Yeah, I just know of it as a Latino thing (finishing the Sign of the Cross w/ kissing the fingers). If it comes from kissing the cross, I suspect it began w/ evangelism of the indigenous peoples (specifically Central Americans & Mexicans). At the intersection of their lack of the European language (and of course, illiteracy) and probably some of their indigenous beliefs (what used to be called "idol worship") comes a syncretism of cross-kissing. Long after the language barrier is gone, and native beliefs are, um, "subsumed," the cross-kissing—morphing into FingersThatMadeTheSignOfTheCross-kissing remains. Just speculation. Shalom, JCF
Response:
In the local Pulpit Swap at our parish church, the visiting RC priest did something I’ve seen many other Roman Catholics do, and some Episcopalians: the sign of the cross (on oneself) is finished with bringing the hand to the lips. The visitor said this represented kissing the cross, and was something he’d started doing after seeing Roman Catholics in the Southwest ( New Mexico)doing it. Is there some particular symbolic significance to this gesture, some historical reason for it, or anything? Thanks for any information.<
Lip service? Peter
Response:
In the local Pulpit Swap at our parish church, the visiting RC priest did something I’ve seen many other Roman Catholics do, and some Episcopalians: the sign of the cross (on oneself) is finished with bringing the hand to the lips. The visitor said this represented kissing the cross, and was something he’d started doing after seeing Roman Catholics in the Southwest ( New Mexico)doing it. Is there some particular symbolic significance to this gesture, some historical reason for it, or anything? Thanks for any information.
I’ve never seen this. How interesting. I’m sure someone must have written a dissertation about local variations in the sign of the cross–the eastern way, the western way, whether one brings one hand back to the center of one’s chest, and whatever. I would love to read more about this. Charles Hohenstein "If there were any word of God beside the Scripture, we could never be certain of God’s Word; and if we be uncertain of God’s Word, the devil might bring in among us a new word, a new doctrine, a new faith, a new church, a new god, yea himself to be a god. If the Church and the Christian faith did not stay itself upon the Word of God certain, as upon a sure and strong foundation, no man could know whether he had a right faith, and whether he were in the true Church of Christ, or in the synagogue of Satan."– Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
Response:
Rat & Swan, This is a pure guess. But I think it might be a "Combo" of the regular making of the sign of the cross combined with the salutation that is done when the Gospel is read. There the 1. forehead 2. lips 3. and heart are crossed. Now when the sign of the Cross is made #1 + #3 are touched in the normal process. Hence finishing with the one part that was left out which is the lips. "May my mind, heart and lips be consecrated" might be the intent. But that is purely a guess! Brian J Dawson – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In the local Pulpit Swap at our parish church, the visiting RC priest did something I’ve seen many other Roman Catholics do, and some Episcopalians: the sign of the cross (on oneself) is finished with bringing the hand to the lips. The visitor said this represented kissing the cross, and was something he’d started doing after seeing Roman Catholics in the Southwest ( New Mexico)doing it. Is there some particular symbolic significance to this gesture, some historical reason for it, or anything? Thanks for any information. KW
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