Why do catholc christians make the sign of the cross with different number of fingers than the 0orthodox?
For a while, after the council of Nicea, all Christians used to make the sign of the cross – from forehead to chest, and then from right shoulder to left shoulder with the right hand. The thumb, forefinger, and middle fingers were held together to symbolise the Holy Trinity – it started to fall out of favour when Crusaders and the Byzantine church clashed during the crusades – and the western Church simplified the practise.
