The Sign of the Cross: Where It Comes From, Why We Use It, and Its Place in Morning Prayer
From Morning Prayer: The Breviary indicates multiple times during prayer that require making the sign of the cross.
The Sign of the Cross is one of the oldest and most recognizable gestures in Christianity. It is simple enough for a child to learn, yet profound enough to summarize the entire mystery of the Trinity and the saving work of Christ. Its history stretches back to the earliest Christian communities, and its use today remains just as central—especially in the Church’s daily prayer.
1. Where the Sign of the Cross Comes From — and Why Early Christians Used It
The Sign of the Cross is ancient—far older than most formal liturgical structures. Early Christian writers testify that believers were marking themselves with the cross long before the Church developed the rites we know today.
Earliest Evidence
Tertullian (c. 200 AD) describes Christians tracing a small cross on their foreheads “in all our actions… when we come in or go out, when we dress, when we wash, at our meals, before retiring to sleep.”
Hippolytus of Rome (3rd century) instructs Christians to “seal your foreheads” with the Sign of the Passion, especially in moments of temptation.
St. Basil (4th century) says the Apostles themselves taught believers to mark those who placed their hope in the Lord with the sign of the cross.
Why Early Christians Used It
Early Christians used the Sign of the Cross to:
Profess faith in Christ and the Trinity
Invoke spiritual protection
Bless themselves and their surroundings
Publicly witness to their identity in a largely illiterate world
The gesture began as a small thumb‑traced cross on the forehead and gradually developed into the larger gesture across the body by the 6th century.
2. Why, When, and Where the Sign of the Cross Is Used Today
Today, the Sign of the Cross remains a sacramental—a sacred gesture that prepares us to receive God’s grace.
Why We Use It
To invoke the Trinity
To recall Christ’s saving death
To bless people, places, and things
To frame prayer in the life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Pope Francis has said that the Sign of the Cross reminds us that God’s love “envelops us completely… like an embrace that never abandons us.”
When and Where It Is Used
At the beginning and end of every liturgy
Before the Gospel (with the small cross on forehead, lips, and heart)
At baptism, confirmation, and anointing of the sick
During blessings of people, food, homes, and sacred objects
Privately throughout the day, continuing the earliest Christian practice
The Sign of the Cross is used across Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and some Methodist and Reformed traditions.
3. Where It Appears in Morning Prayer — and Why
In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Sign of the Cross appears at the very beginning of the day’s prayer.
At the Opening of Morning Prayer (Lauds)
Morning Prayer begins with the Invitatory:
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise.”
At this moment, the rubrics instruct the faithful to make the Sign of the Cross on the lips—a small cross traced with the thumb.
Why on the Lips?
This gesture:
Consecrates one’s speech to God at the start of the day
Asks that every word be praise
Invokes God’s blessing on the first prayer of the morning
Every hour of the Liturgy of the Hours begins with the larger Sign of the Cross as well, framing the entire day in the life of the Trinity.
4. Was the Sign of the Cross Ever a Secret Greeting?
The Sign of the Cross was never a secret handshake in the dramatic sense—no covert exchange of gestures to confirm identity. But it was a recognizable marker of Christian life, something other believers would notice immediately.
Early Christians traced a small cross on the forehead many times a day: before meals, before sleep, when leaving home, when facing danger, or when entering pagan spaces. Tertullian’s description of Christians doing this “in all our comings and goings” shows how constant—and visible—it was.
Because it was so habitual, it became a quiet badge of belonging. Not secret, but distinctive. Another Christian who saw the gesture would understand: This person belongs to Christ.
Persecutors already knew about the gesture, so it was not a code. The real discreet symbols used for recognition were things like the ichthys (fish), the anchor, and the Chi‑Rho.
What the Chi‑Rho Is
The Chi‑Rho (☧) is one of the earliest Christian symbols. It looks like a P superimposed on an X.
Chi (Χ) = “ch”
Rho (Ρ) = “r”
Together, they form the first two letters of ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Christos)—Christ.
Early Christians carved the Chi‑Rho on tombs, scratched it on catacomb walls, engraved it on rings and lamps, and used it as a baptismal and eucharistic symbol. It was subtle enough to avoid suspicion yet unmistakable to believers. By the 4th century, Constantine adopted it as his military standard, the labarum, after his famous vision.
So, while the Sign of the Cross was not a secret greeting, it was part of a larger world of early Christian symbols—some public, some discreet—that expressed identity, faith, and hope.
Note about Morning Prayer: Each morning prayer post reflects on one phrase from the Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. which can be found in the iBreviary (a downloadable app), Universalis (website) or Divine Office (publication and website).
post production may be assisted by AI in image generation and content (research and wording)
Read more Morning Prayer posts.
Morning Prayer posts inspired by Being Catholic in Troubled Times (Dennis Ortman)
Book Description:
These are times that try our souls. This book is addressed to all, not just Catholics, who search for deeper meaning in tough times. Our age is marked by division and alienation. We long for some message that will bring peace to our world and our hearts.
This book suggests that the Catholic faith can provide strength in these troubled times. The word "catholic" means "all-embracing, universal." Nothing is excluded in the catholic mind. The truth that sets us free can be found everywhere, especially in unexpected places. It is often hidden in plain sight. In our darkest moments, we find new light and life. When we are most despairing, a ray of hope shines through.
Dr. Dennis Ortman, former priest and current psychologist, is the author of Anger Anonymous, Anxiety Anonymous, Depression Anonymous, Being Catholic in Troubled Times, and Life, Liberty, and COVID-19.
For more posts by and about Dennis and his award-winning books, click HERE.
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