www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Eastern reverences when passing a Church

"Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are in the way and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the poor's sake; without toil, for the sick, since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of evils; for He has triumphed over them in it, having made a shew of them openly; for when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, Who hath bruised the heads of the dragon. Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the Gift; but for this rather honor thy Benefactor."
-- St. Cyril of Jerusalem, A.D. 315 - 386

Many Poles cross themselves when passing a church.

In Slovakia I was watching a very large, elderly man drive a horse-drawn wagon of hay along a road. As he neared a church, he stopped and crossed himself, then continued down the road.

Dear Friends,

I'm just wondering about the way RC's do the "Little Sign of the Cross" on the forehead, mouth and heart.

Do they still do that, under what circumstances and what prayers are said?

Alex

Dear Alex,
The only instance I know of this is just before the reading of the Gospel at Mass.
The faithful recite "Gloria tibi Domine" (Glory be to Thee, O Lord.)

I'd also be interested to hear of other prayers that are said when Latin's do this.

Brad

Dear Alex,

Yes we Latins still make the triple sign of the cross on the forhead, lips, and breast - in fact it is prescribed to be done at the proclamation of the Gospel at Mass.

I am not sure that there is an official prayer to be said while doing it, but what I had been taught as an altar boy was to say:

"May the Word of God be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart."

PAX

Br. Elias

Yup Br. Elias thats what I was taught at my confirmation. Only the words my priest gave me were:

"May the gospel of the Lord be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart"

The similarity being evident I'd suggest that there is Latin 'mother prayer' from which the vernacular translations have been made.

Mexicans always do he sign of the cross when they see a church (orthodox or catholic). I you ever take a taxi drive, the driver will most likely make the sign of the cross when a church is near.

Okay, here's a REAL can of worms for you:

Some "high" or even "broad" Anglican/Episcopal churches have tabernacles in which Holy Communion is reserved. I've often wondered what I should do to honor the Real Presence of Jesus when passing such a church. Just how "valid" is their Sacrament?

I also recall reading on a Catholic apologetics website--I wish I could find it again--something to the effect that the "degree" (for lack of a better word) of the Real Presence of Jesus in a Protestant Sacrament of the Lord's Supper depends upon just what the denomination believes it to be. So, for example, if they believe Jesus is present, but only in a spiritual manner, then that's the extent to which He really is present in their Sacrament. If this is the case, then, for example, Our Lord really is present Body and Soul in the Lutheran Sacrament, but not in quite the same way or to the same degree that Catholics believe. It didn't sound quite right to me at the time I was reading it, or perhaps I misread/misinterpreted it. What does this imply about their ordained ministers' ability to confect sacraments?

(BTW: I bow my head when passing a Catholic or Orthodox church. I had this book as a child which said boys should tip their caps and girls should bow their head when passing a church. I'm a "boy," but don't wear caps much

My Irish parents instructed me to make the Sign of the Cross whenever I passed by a Church and to ponder on the Presence of Jesus reserved inside.

That did cause a bit of personal embarrassment once.

I was driving in a old neighborhood in Detroit as passed an onion domed Church adorned with 3 bar crosses.

I made the Sign of the Cross as I passed, and only later noticed the sign " Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist"

It seems RC's aren't the only ones to sell off inner city churchs

That's funny! One of my Latin Rite friends went to a funeral in an Episcopal church. He said it looked so familiar, he genuflected out of habit. He said the Episcopalians really gave him dirty looks for that.

Just my two cents on the subject...I try to cross myself when passing a Catholic or Orthodox Church (if I can't tell the difference, or if I'm not paying attention, that sometimes doesn't happen). As I understand it, this is done due to the real PHYSICAL presence of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ in the form of the Eucharist. In other words, I don't do it if the church isn't in full communion with one of the apostolic patriarchs, by which apostolic succession allows for the true consecration of the Eucharist as His physical body and blood.

Christos Voskres!

But there is no way of knowing if the Holy Gifts are in a given church! In parish churches, They nearly certainly are there, but otherwise They are most likely not.

At any rate, it is the Orthodox custom to reverence a church building whether or not the Holy Gifts are present

Christ is Risen!
Photius, Reader

I have always made the sign of the Cross and said a quick prayer when passing a church. Now that I think of it, so does my hubby... and we're not even "old."

Dear Annie, my sister in Christ,

I am really glad to hear that you and your husband reverence when passing a church.

If you don't mind me asking, do most of your contemporaries do this too? You said that you aren't old, so I am assuming that you are in your thirties?


All of you in the South continue to be an inspiration to those of us in the more 'secularly orientated' states...( (I am trying to avoid the dreaded 'L' word so as not to anger some of my dear brethren here! *wink*)

Wishing you every blessing!
In the Risen Christ,
Alice

Yep, 39. Nearly all of my friends do this, even the ones who really have fallen kind of away from the church. Most of my friends are Catholic or Orthodox and they will stop and Cross themselves and/or bow before churches. I've noticed my 20-something relatives doing it, too, so it really seems to be a matter of custom and upbringing. We're not Southerners, though - we came from up north. We're New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians, mostly. A Russian kid in my office used to pick at me because he saw me "surreptitiously" Crossing myself - I worked next door to a church and passed it multiple times every day. Then I caught him in such a long series of bows in front of a church a few blocks away that I realized I was halfway down the street and he was still there.