The early Christians have left us many things. One of these things was the sign of the cross. It identified them as followers of Christ, just as it does for us today. They were persecuted greatly, and had to hide the fact that they were Christians. They used to identify themselves by tracing a cross on the ground with a stick or their sandal, and then

quickly wipe it out.

Ichthys= Greek word for fishΙΧΘΥΣ = each letter stands for something diff. for exampleI= Iesous (Greek for Jesus)The symbol meant Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior

The sign expressed two things: it was a profession of faith—“We belong to Christ crucified” and and it

was a prayer.

Christians have traditionally also used the Sign of the Cross as a prayer in times of temptation. Hippolytus (c. 170–c. 236) wrote:

“When tempted, always reverently seal your forehead with the Sign of the Cross. For this sign of the Passion is a symbol openly

combatting the devil if you make it in faith, not in order that you may be seen by others, but consciously putting it forth like a shield.”

With one finger = Oneness of GodWith three Fingers= TrinityThis the 5 fingers= 5 wounds of Jesus

• The sign of the cross on the forehead indicates that we believe in the good news of the Gospel.

• The sign of the cross on the lips indicates that we must preach the Gospel by word of mouth.

• The sign of the cross on the chest indicates that we must treasure the word of God in our hearts.

Constantine and the Battle of the Milvian bridge

In this sign you will conquer

When passing a Church

When passing a cemetery

Waking and sleeping

Illegal