Handedness

[Andrey Vershinin]

I was wondering why the church decided to make the right hand of the God the exalted one..

the better question to ask is, is it fine to make the sign of the cross with the left hand if one is left-handed?

now, I've heard from some people, that Chrysostom made the sign of the cross with his left hand during one part of his life?

[Fr Aaron Warwick]

Someone once wrote Sts. Barsanuphius and John about making the sign of the cross with the left hand if, for some reason, the right hand was unavailable. St. Barsanuphius's response was: "When I desire to make the sign of the cross over my right hand, I must use my left hand to do so."

Aaron

[Andrey Vershinin]

so what does that mean exactly? I see different interpretations over it, but im not so sure they are the right interpretations!

[John P. Nasou]

[Andrey - The Church did not make the right hand of God the exalted = one. Remember that Jesus Christ had to deal with the limitations of = mankind's mind and their languages in proclaiming His message. Even His = disciples did not completely understand until He sent the Comforter to = them on Pentacost. This is why He spoke of the Right Hand of God when = everyone knows that God the Father is the purest of Spirits and has no = hand, right or left. He was merely expressing to the people that He = would return to His exalted position in relation to His Father - = something that they could understand.

Because the majority of mankind are right handed, human society = considered those who were left-handed to be different and even evil. = Consider the origin of the word sinister. This is from the Latin word = for left handed. Knowing the origin of words and their historical = meaning is essential in our interpretation of the Scriptures and = writings of the Church Fathers.]

[Kosmas Damianides]

The tradition of the making of the sign of the cross had changed in the early years of Christianity. One should remember that this is only a symbol used as devotion and prayer to God. If our lips speak the truth of God, and the Holy Trinity, why not our body?

Using your left instead of your right hand under extreme circumstances I can understand, but using your left hand because you are left handed is nothing to do with maintaining the tradition. The councils of the Church in fact used the sign of the cross to spread the message of the 2 natures of Christ united as one, the three persons of the Holy Trinity and the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross and the salvation of the world through the crucifixion/resurrection.

If a priest for instance had burnt his vestments and could therefore not wear them during the litugy, would that mean that the Holy Communion was not consecrated? Obviously not, vestments are only part of keeping the tradition. In the same way using your left hand is ok if you cannot, but using your right is even better.

Who knows, perhaps it's God's plan that those left handed people are more devoted and dedicated because we right handed people just do what comes natural but the left handers have to try harder to do their cross.

in Christ
Kosmas

[nurse-aid]

no my dear.... barbarians...wasn't granted more becuse they strive more...then jew...who were born in fath of ONE GOD! nothing to do with it...with being naturally born...PREDESTINATION againg my friend...cannot get off this things...NOTHING is giving someone more then to other...LIE! only your WILL is moves you to HIM...and in that will of our heart we are all the SAME! it is ME who want and not my parents who gave me birth, with their genes...or place were i born...or EVEN religion in which i was born...starvation for TRUTH is the motor which moves us to HIM...and not the kind of food or cooking method...HUNGER! that what moves...

[Andrey Vershinin]

I just wanted to say also, that when making the sign of the cross with my right hand, I cannot say in my mind "in the name of the father and of the son, and of the holy spirit" unless I am feeling with my left hand while only making the gesture with my right hand