Q. 1. I noticed when I go to Church on Sunday, that many of the immigrants, mainly from the Philippines, do the Sign of the Cross with their left hand. I learned in school that such was not acceptable.

A. 1. If you only have one arm, that being the left arm, it is acceptable to do the Sign of the Cross with your left hand.

Doing the Sign of the Cross with the right hand is a matter of Tradition. It is believed that this custom is related to the statement in the Apostles’ Creed where it says that “Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father.”

Some people view certain behaviours such as doing the Sign of the Cross with the left hand, holding a crucifix upside down, etc... as symbols of the occult. Such a belief is reinforced when it involves immigrants from the Philippines, a nation where voodoo and witchcraft is commonly practiced.