www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology How many of us are bold enough to cross ourselves in public?

Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!

A priest once told a group of us that as a show of faith we should cross ourselves when we begin and end every activity even when we're at work and in public. I just wondered how many of us openly cross ourselves even when we're with other people.

I've been trying to remember to say grace and cross myself before eating, and a few times have remembered to do so upon hearing good news and before facing challenging situations. Other times I do remember to cross myself but feel a bit shy about drawing attention to myself. I'm interested in hearing others' experiences and solutions.

I try to do if often, especially when I pray before meals, difficult situations, etc... I think it's neccessary as an expression of who we are. I know at times I feel awkward and ashamed to do it, so I fail to do it.

Resurrectio Domini, spes nostra.

Good question! There have been times when I have wanted to make the sign of the cross (e.g. when passing by a church, or on a plane before take-off, or simply before having a meal in public), but mostly I have felt too shy to do so. "Don't draw attention to yourself" and "Don't think you're different or better than us" are fundamental rules of society, it seems... After a while one starts to forget about it, too

I do it. I get a lot of guff, but I remember that it's nothing like what the Coptics, Chaldeans, or Syro-Malabar/Malankars are experiencing. I don't have to tattoo a cross to my arm lest someone rip it from my neck as they do in Egypt, no one tries to assassinate me like the do the Ecumenical Patriarch every few years, rapes the nuns from my neighborhood like they do in India, etc. etc. Secularism is not the absence of the marks of a religious person, it is a replacement of his beliefs with something made by the state, school, or MTV.

I do it whenever I pass a Catholic church (and, theoretically, an Orthodox church, though I never pass one). My friends riding with me in the car probably think it's silly, and they usually inquire about it. I feel more bold in explaining it to my non-Catholic friends than to my Catholic friends, because I feel like some of the latter are thinking, "Huh, well don't you just think you're more Catholic than everyone else!" LOL.

Alexis

Good question, dear Indigo!

The one time I ALWAYS cross myself in public is upon take off on a plane.

The other time I ALWAYS cross myself is upon driving my car.

I cross myself when passing my church..I used to try to cross myself also when crossing other churches, but there seem to be too many!! In Athens, where people aren't too religious these days, it is always nice that when passing a certain tram stop called 'Panayitsa' because it is infront of a large church dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Panayitsa is the affectionate diminutive of 'All Holy One') most of the people on the tram cross themselves.

I should cross myself in public restaurants but other than the times we have dined with our priest in public, I am sad to say that I don't--I guess I don't want to bring attention to myself or am embarrassed? Lord forgive me...I need to work on this. Yet, at home, I generally do.

Alice

All the time, but then some times I'm in the mood to look for trouble.

I usually do it when passing an ambulance, funeral procession or most often when saying the rosary.

I always do and have done so for many years.
I even greet muslim arabs with Salam al messia, to which they always reply im not Christian, to which I reply yes but I am.
Stephanos I

This sometimes happens in a group where I don't want to appear holier than everyone else - and I generally know when I will get that reaction. I make a small cross on my forehead which hardly anyone ever notices or questions. If I am with devout people, I make the full sign.

After what I have seen, heard, and endured during peaceful pro-life vigils, making the sign of the cross at a restaurant or other public place is not at all difficult.

Always. My Southern Baptist dad, said you have got to explain why you do that to me. Oh, well, I tried, as much as he would listen.

Do it all the time and never even get a second look. When in a group, I say the blessing aloud.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Mostly it has never occurred to me that crossing myself in public requires any particular boldness (an exception is the occupied Six Counties in Ireland's northeast, where crossing oneself in the wrong part of town can have drastic consequences).

In Athens I'm accustomed to cross myself when passing a church - but since I'm also accustomed to wear the rasso if I did not cross myself people might be startled.

Just yesterday I was taking a taxi to the Pro-Cathedral here in Dublin to serve the Presanctified, and as usual crossed myself when we passed a church. I was interested to notice that the driver followed my example a minute or so later - so this can be a good thing to do.

Fr. Serge

I make the Sign of the Cross in public:
-- when going by the Eucharist (i.e., Catholic and Orthodox churches)
-- when going by a cemetary (and a quick prayer for the dead)
-- when going by a hospital (and a quick prayer for the ill and their caregivers)
-- when hearing a siren (ditto)
-- when saying grace before eating

Most of those times are when I am driving.

Being truly in public --where everyone can see me-- I make the Sign of the Cross when I say grace before eating and when I walk past a Catholic / Orthodox church.

It's not bold if done quietly and with dignity. Then it's just showing Him respect.

-- John

My passenger would first find my hat suddenly in his lap, and would still be wondering about that when I started crossing myself.



To complicate matters, I could be flipping gears, which is also rough with my hat in my hand . . .

(The hat is unavoidable when driving a convertible in Las Vegas with pale Irish skin a family history of skin cancer).

hawk, who also wheres 50 SPF when driving