Touching the ground

[StChristopherofPalestine]

For the touching the ground part of doing the Sign of the Cross, is it a touch or a sweep?

[MariaRegina]

There are two ways of making a metania where you make the sign of the Cross and touch the ground according to the instructions of my priest (and observing the differences between the Greeks and the Russian Orthodox).

I was always wondering whenever I visited a Greek Orthodox Church, why the priest would ask me if I was Russian Orthodox.

I have since then tried very diligently to make the proper sign of the Cross when venerating the Icons following the maxim:

WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS.

So, whenever I'm in the Greek Church and I am venerating the icons in the Narthex (or at the altar steps [solea] during the Akathist hymn), I touch the floor and then make a big sweeping sign of the Cross over my entire body. Perhaps this is what you mean by a sweeping motion of the hands?

When I'm in the Russian Orthodox Church, then I first make the sign of the Cross and then I touch the floor.