[split] Big f116v spillover thread.

[Jorge_Stolfi]

The Catholic sign of the cross itself is very standardized and learned as a kid: "In nomine Patris [touch forehead], et Filii [touch chest], et Spiritus [touch left shoulder] Sanctii [touch right shoulder].  With the right hand (apparently even if one is left-handed).

Doing the sign of the cross any other way would stand out and mark one as not a real Catholic, maybe a heretic, Satanist even.

Addendum: just learned that in the Eastern (Orthodox) Church, the sign of the Cross is mirror-reversed from the above: right shoulder before left shoulder.

And apparently they are more specific about the finger positions, too: thumb and pinky folded against the palm, the other three stretched and joined together.  

If there is a similar finger standard in the Catholic Church, it seems that everybody ignores it.  I have always seen people do it with all five fingers stretched out and separated, the hand slightly cupped but relaxed.

All the best, --stolfi