The Sign of the Cross

by Francis de Sales, Christopher O. Blum (Translator)

From the young St. Francis de Sales' heroic efforts to bring Calvinists back to the Faith comes this succinct, eloquent defense of the age-old Catholic practice of making the Sign of the Cross, which 16th century Calvinists denounced as a Popish invention and many Protestants scorn even today. Along with St. Francis's other lucid explanations of the Catholic Faith and his undaunted love even for those who hated him, this modest book helped restore to their native Catholic faith tens of thousands of people who not long before were intent on killing him.

As they did for the Calvinists in St. Francis's day, so in our day these ably translated pages will bring you a better understanding of and a renewed love for the Sign of the Cross, that brief and lively exterior prayer by which, from time immemorial, God has been invoked by serious Christians before all of their endeavors.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Christian, Theology, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Christianity

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1892

About the author

Francis de Sales, C.O., T.O.M., A.O.F.M. Cap. (French: François de Sales; Italian: Francesco di Sales) was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. His father sent him to a good school when he was young, and he received spiritual formation from the Jesuits. After a disturbing spiritual fear of being condemned, he eventually resolved his problem and decided to dedicate his life to God in 1587. He became a doctor of law at the age of 24 at the Jesuit College of Clermont, Paris, and was ordained a priest by Bishop Claude de Granier and stationed in Geneva in 1593. He became bishop of Geneva in 1602.

Francis de Sales is the author of various collections of sermons on Mary, Lent, prayer and Christmastide. He was known as a spiritually understanding man as well as a friend of the poor. Though known for his great intellect and theological wisdom, he spoke with simplicity and earnestness, so that all could understand. An Introduction to the Devout Life, his best-loved work, is based on notes he wrote for a cousin for marriage, stressing that sanctity is possible in everyday life. He was canonized by Pope Alexander VII in 1665. His feast is celebrated on January 24.

Reviews

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of a few books by Saint Fraincis de Sales from Sophia Institute that I picked up a few years ago. It is my loss that I waiting to get around to reading them. For this book was an incredible little read. In chapter one Francis de Sales defines the sign of the cross as: "The Sign of the Cross is a Christian ceremony that represents the Passion of our Lord by tracing the shape of the Cross with a simple motion." And later he states: "When making the Sign of the Cross, therefore, we confess three great mysteries: the Trinity, the Passion, and the remission of sins, by which we are moved from the left, the hand of the curse, to the right, the hand of blessing." But he also draws from earlier Christian writers: "St. Jerome, writing to his spiritual daughter, said: "With every work, with all of your comings and goings, may your hand make the Sign of the Cross." St. Ephraim said: "Whether you sleep or wake, travel or work, eat or drink, sail on the sea or cross a river, cover yourself with this breastplate, clothe and encircle your limbs with the saving sign, and evils will not meet you."" And so Saint Francis draws from his own research and gives us numerous examples of the importance of this devotion from numerous other saints.

This book packs a lot of information in such a small volume. The chapters in this book are:
Foreword
What Is the Sign of the Cross?
A Public Profession of Faith
The Use of the Sign of the Cross in the Church of the Fathers
The Legitimate Use of Ceremonies of Benediction
The Sign of the Cross in Blessings
The Sign of the Cross in Consecrations and Sacramental Blessings
Why the Sign of the Cross Is Made on the Forehead
The Testimony of the Prophet Ezekiel
A Reproof to the Antichrist
A Defense against Demons
The Power of the Sign of the Cross
St. Francis de Sales

This is maybe one of the simplest Catholic devotions, and yet after reading this book also maybe one of the most important. One of the quotes in this book that hit me most was, "The Sign of the Cross, then, is nothing other than a brief and lively exterior prayer by which God is invoked, and, as a result, it is proper for all of our doings and plans." This book was an amazing read but when combined with another title from Sophia Institute it even more so. Just before reading this book I read Holy Water and its Significance for Catholics by Henry Theiler. After reading that book I got a number of bottles for keeping Holy Water in the house, especially for my children. Especially my son who was having problems going to sleep. Now we often make the sign of the cross with Holy Water. I do it over my children before they go to bed, they bless me before we pray at bed time. I now often see my son going and making the sign of the cross with Holy water, often throughout the day. When he is becoming frustrated, angry or upset then he will go and grab the Holy Water and make the sign of the cross as he blesses himself. I cannot think of a better way to deal with struggles in day to day life. And thank Sophia Institute for these amazing books that has brought this all together for me and my children.

An amazing book that I cannot recommend enough!

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More.

(Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: A Year of Reading Intention - Catholic Reading!)

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." These words roll off every Catholic's tongue so frequently that we often forget the significance of what we are saying. Sometimes we make the Sign of the Cross at Mass so haphazardly that we look like a coach on the first base line at a Major League Baseball game. Worst of all, sometimes we don't even make the Sign of the Cross because we are afraid we will bring unwanted attention and judgment upon ourselves. All of these are bad, and I am ashamed to admit that I have been guilty of each transgression at various points in my life. It is time we reconnect with this most ancient of prayers and discover the power behind these fifteen words.

St. Francis de Sales' little treatise entitled The Sign of the Cross begins by explaining how to make the sign of the Cross. It may seem like a no-brainer at first, but I'd bet that very few Catholics know why we make the Sign of the Cross the way we do. To summarize St. Francis de Sales, we use our right hand, because it is "the more worthy of the two." With our right hand, we use either three fingers to represent the Trinity or five fingers to represent Jesus' five wounds. We begin the prayer by placing our right hand on our forehead to acknowledge that God the Father is the one from whom all things originate. Next, we move our hand down to our stomach as a sign that Jesus proceeded from the Father. Lastly, we cross ourselves from left shoulder to right shoulder to show that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son and that He is the bond of love between Father and Son. Let that information sink in, and reflect on it going forward each time you make the Sign of the Cross.

The rest of this book deals with the origins, history, uses, and benefits of the Sign of the Cross. For example, did you know that in early times the Sign of the Cross was made on the forehead? It eventually evolved to its present form, but early Christians put the Sign on their forehead both as a profession of faith and an invocation of God's assistance in every aspect of their lives. The most fascinating chapter to me was entitled "A Defense against Demons." In this chapter, St. Francis de Sales quotes various Church Fathers, from St. Athanasius to St. John Chrysostom, all of whom speak about the power of the Sign of the Cross over Satan and his minions. It is truly a simple but powerful weapon that so many fail to realize they possess. So, in the words of Origen, "Let us rejoice, my beloved friends, and lift holy hands to heaven in the form of the Cross; when the demons see us armed in this way they will be crushed."

If you are looking for a simple way to deepen your prayer life, then pick up a copy of The Sign of the Cross. You will gain a wealth of spiritual benefits from reading this book, but you must not stop there. You must then act upon what you have read. Slow down when crossing yourself. Think about each word as you say it. Also, start using the Sign of the Cross in every aspect of your life! You don't have to just use it at the beginning and ending of formal prayer. You can use it when starting and ending a task at work. By doing this, you will make your entire day a prayer to God. These fifteen words can transform your life, if you only let them.

[SweetAileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

( I never write reviews this long and usually take forever to finish books but this book broke my usual routine 😂)

Today’s Catholic apologetics are completely lacking in the art of “savagery”. The same art that many of our beloved saints from the past perfected.

St. Francis’ response to John Calvin’s attack on the Christian practice of the sign of the cross is one of the best Catholic apologetic books I’ve read. His passion, knowledge, and wit made this an enjoyable read. This was refreshing considering apologetics ( not exclusively Catholic but in general) can be boring and hard to follow.

I do believe that even an outside observer someone with little to no religious interest would find the information presented by St. Francis interesting and his little comments towards Calvin hilarious.

My favorite quote:
Is it not in truth His real flesh - or in at the very least, and in accord with * your vain fantasies, the 𝑺𝒊𝒈𝒏 of His flesh *

Context of the quote: This part of Francis’ response Calvin’s claim that we cannot know Jesus according to the flesh. Catholics believe that the host (bread)and wine are truly transformed into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ while Calvin believed that true presence of Christ in communion is more of a spiritual presence.

Oof😅. I guess I should also add that this book will help any Catholic or other Christians have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the sign of the cross.

To paraphrase what my priest said in one of his homilies; “It’s important to know the 𝘸𝘩𝘺 if we are going to do the 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵”

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is actually the third in a set of four written by St. Francis de Sales in response to a treatise written by a Reformer against the Catholic use of the crucifix. Here, Saint Francis de Sales describes the beauty and the simplicity of the Sign of the Cross. His points are eloquent, though at times he seems to set himself to mocking the Reformers (which is awkward in a day and age filled with Protestants). The book is small, and can be read in a single sitting, or broken up and whenever you have spare moments. I have since started to think more on this beautiful symbol of the Catholic faith, and am inspired by the Church's simplicity in such matters.

[Robert Federline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a simple prayer; such a powerful impact!

Who doesn't think they know the Sign of the Cross? It is one of the most basic of all Catholic prayers, as well as one of the very first ever learned. It is so easy for it to seem rote. As with any memorized prayer, however, it is important to delve more deeply into the words and the meaning behind them.

One of the keys to its antiquity, of course, is the very name by which we identify this prayer. It is the Sign of the Cross. The names of prayers are almost universally drawn from the opening words. In this instance, however, we are reminded that this is as much a physical prayer as it is a verbal one.

St. Francis de Sales gives an excellent tour of this simple, yet powerful rite and prayer. He is defending it from an attack by the Huguenots. He gives an excellent history and recounts its efficacy in numerous circumstances. He reminds us gently, yet compellingly, of the great power that is called upon when we invoke the Name of God, in any of his persons, and the power that is in His Cross. God has taken the symbol of shame and ignominy and remade it into a clarion of the salvation He offers to each of us.

This short work deserves to be read and re-read because it is so densely packed with meaning.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

St. Francis de Sales jumps right in defining the sign of the cross and its importance. As the chapters progress, the book becomes more apologetic in nature. He continues to establish a defense of its use in response to a challenge by a protestant reformer.

This short book is full of great reasons why the sign of the cross is so powerful and how each time it is used it invokes the glory and power of the Holy Trinity.

[Patrick O'Hannigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This engaging little treatise ends abruptly, and skeptical readers might also notice that Francis de Sales (1567-1622) has a higher tolerance for anecdotal evidence than many Christian apologists these days are comfortable with. In his defense, however, the anecdotes that Francis cites are Patristic, and in most cases they were as well-known to the Calvinist pastor and pamphleteer who provoked this response as they would have been to Francis himself.

That some of the church fathers cited here are not as celebrated by us as they were by our forebears in the faith is our loss, not a knock on the validity of the arguments here.

The last section of the book explains why the Sign of the Cross is not only an "invocation of the Redeemer that can be employed on every occasion suitable for prayer," but also a powerful defense against demons. By the time I got there, I was happily making allowances for the contrast in sensibilities between Francis' time and our own.

Not for nothing is Francis de Sales remembered among Catholics as a patron saint for writers: While this is not his best work, his good humor and unassailable logic remain a joy to read, even in translation from the original French.

[Hee-jung Cranford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks be to God for this Saint! Never for a moment yielding from a state of despair: 100s of desecrated churches to in four years bringing thousands of Catholics and converts to the Church. One of the most powerful passages for me: “if we attempt to reject unwritten customs as being unimportant, we will impudently condemn things in the Gospel that are necessary to salvation. We would thus render contemptible the preaching of the Faith.” A must read.

[Damien Rappuhn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great little apologetic work by St. Francis de Sales targeted against certain Calvinist claims about Catholic practice (namely, the physical sign of the cross, which at the time was performed entirely on the forehead). As an apologetic work, it has limited use today. He appeals to patristic writings for his arguments, which are good claims and a generally good place to begin, but in this printing, none of those patristic references are cited, so any contemporary conversation is hamstrung by a dead-end to the research of his claims. Now, I have a great devotion to St. Francis de Sales, so I loved this book, but take it for what it is: apologetics for a different culture and a different fight. If you're looking for something devotional, look for his sermons published by TAN Books, or his famous Introduction to the Devout Life, which is perennially useful as a spiritual guide. I cannot recommend St. Francis de Sales highly enough in those works.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Lent this past season I decided to give up fiction reading in favor of more Christian related books. This was one from my Lenten reading list. I loved this book for its subject matter and for reminding me of the reverence that we should have when making the sign of the cross. The Sign of the Cross is a prayer, and we shouldn't forget that in our hurried lives. St. Francis de Sales wrote this book in defense of the sign of the cross from those following Calvinism and to teach the history of the sign of the cross. Some of the language is dated and it gets confusing at times who and what the author is discussing, but overall, a wonderful read.

[Richard Grebenc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine work that is essentially a defense of the sign of the cross from a certain Evangelical (Huguenot) who questioned its provenance and use. Some arguments are more persuasive than others, but Francis does well in quoting his adversary when countering the man's claims. A quick read that will enlighten and inspire.

[Matthew Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief, well-written apologetics booklet defending the sign of the cross as a true and apostolic practice. St Francis cites many church fathers, addresses common protestant objections, and advances an argument that Ezekiel 9 prefigures the sign of the cross, which he sees as a true sign of the New Covenant.

[Sheila Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book. It’s a complex theological read, and sometimes found it hard to keep track of when he or his adversary was being quoted. I think this would be a good book to read in a class with expert Theologians.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked his sass but overall I don’t think apologetics is for me…

[Peter Davids · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book because it was by Francis de Sales, whose Introduction to the Devout Life is a spiritual classic. This one was advertised as newly translated, so I thought it worth getting. It was worth getting. It is a relatively brief book. It responds to an unnamed Calvinist opponent who has published against de Sales rejecting any use of the sign of the cross. Francis de Sales responds pointing out that his opponent is self-contradictory and that he has both scriptural precedents and the examples and teaching of the patristic writers on his side. Apparently Calvinists also accepted the authority of the patristic writers, so in citing them de Sales is on common ground. He also has common ground with his opponent in that both believe that the inner prayer to God is the core of the action, but the Calvinist is cited as arguing that therefore one should not make any outward action, while de Sales argues that the outward is the means God chooses to use and that the outward expresses the inward. There are a lot of good stories in this work, perhaps somewhat embellished by the original authors, but, then, having had some experience with signs and wonders, perhaps not. It is also interesting to see the radical iconoclasm of the Calvinist Reformation - no outward signs or processions or other actions. De Sales never argues that the human being is embodied, body as well as inner person, and that therefore prayer should be embodied with actions such as the sign of the cross and postures such as kneeling and bowing, but he comes close. And he certainly illustrates how the sign of the cross can be used for protection against evil forces, for healing prayer, for blessing, for any number of things in which invoking the sacrifice of Jesus for us and placing oneself under his authority is appropriate. This is a book from a particular time in history, but it is also a fun read, a spiritual read, and good read.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be looking for more writings by St. Francis De Sales. I knew very little about him or his writings. Our spiritual book club chose this book to read. Short book but it is excellent encouragement for the Catholic prayer of making the Sign of the Cross. Quotes from the early saints add to the material. Now making the Sign of the Cross truly feels like a little prayer and not some mechanical action.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." A prayer and a gesture used since the Church was born and more powerful than I had ever imagined, this book is St. Francis de Sales's answer to the austere Christianity of the Reformers who ceased to pray this prayer. What a pity!

[Tim Schiraldi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough explanation of the utilization of the sign of the Cross and its use as prayer, defended by the father of apologetics. St Vincent DePaul was a superb writer and thinker! His writings here were a masterful rebuttal to the Calvinists in France.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read, yet rich in content! Perfect for personal enrichment. Great resource for catechists & ministers as well.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

This is a great work about a misunderstood sacramental. Anyone who wants to learn about the meaning and power of the sign of the cross should read.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old school

[Bruce Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all. All Christians should read this short book. Hyper-Protestants beware.