The Sign of the Cross is the most fundamental prayer gesture in Catholic tradition, combining a simple yet profound prayer with a sacred physical movement. When we pray “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” while touching our forehead, chest, and shoulders, we invoke the Holy Trinity and mark ourselves as Christians.
This ancient practice, dating back to the earliest days of the Church, serves as both a mini-profession of faith and a powerful blessing. Catholics begin and end virtually every prayer with the Sign of the Cross, including the Rosary, as it sanctifies our actions and reminds us that everything we do should be done in God’s name. The physical gesture itself forms a cross over our body, symbolizing Christ’s redemption and our baptismal commitment, while calling down God’s protection and grace upon us.
The Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.