The answer
Placing the fingers on the forehead is an indication of God the Father Who is in heaven and above all.
Moving the hand to the end of the chest and the beginning of the stomach is an indication of the Incarnation, and the coming down of the Son of God to the Earth in order to redeem us.
The movement of the hand from left shoulder to the right is an indication of the effect of the Holy Spirit, Who moved us from the left to the right. We then say, “One God. Amen,” to affirm the oneness of the Divine Being.
In making the Sign of the Cross, we use either:
- ❖ One finger in the likeness of the One God.
- ❖ Three fingers, which are united to symbolise the Three in One.
- ❖ Five fingers, in the likeness of the five wounds of Christ upon the Cross.
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II
Pope Tawadros II, My Faith: A Series of Dialogues on the Creed (Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, 2014), 97–98.
The pages in the book (97–98)
