All of the above.

You mean it likely arose in response to the Nestorian heresy, right?

The way you worded it makes it sound like it came from heresy.

(And yeah, I know you posted 3 pages ago, but I didn't want to leave it standing and being misunderstood by others that may not know better.)

Yes.

(puts away sock puppet)

I have been reading through these posts with interest and a little confusion - but I totally missed the suggestion of wearing a sock puppet at the same time..................

it's a running joke on the board princess... sock puppets are those that hold the beliefs of another, and speak for them when they are not available... sadly i have no sock puppets, but have called a sock puppet of gherkin ...

Some of us have been on this board waaaaaaay too long.

Don't mind our inside-speak, it takes a little while but soon all will be clear.

Anything that doesn't make sense, feel free to ask.

I am about as traditional and a "by-the-book" Catholics as you'll ever meet, but even I do not get down to the detail of how I press my finger against my thumb and so forth. It is interesting to read the responses though: Maybe I will revise how I do it.

I haven’t thought much about how I make the sign of the cross since my Catechism days. I don’t think I do it any of the ways you mentioned, Charles. Instead, I use my index and middle fingers. I’m sure I was much more proper when I was little. I even remember a nun teaching us to hold our hands palm together in prayer (not intertwining our fingers) and place our right thumb over our left thumb to indicate good triumphing over evil.

Also, I noticed my brother kissing his thumb after making the sign of the cross, but never got around to asking him. Thanks for posting an explanation.
Before a meal I pray:

“Bless us oh Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from Thy bounty, Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.”

Then,

“May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”

am i late to the post well i just use my index and middle fingers dipped in the fount and bless say the sign of the cross while crossing myself

First the genuflection:

The GRIM [general Instruction of the Roman Missal] is equivalent in Authority as is the Code of Canon Law:

Genuflections and Bows
274. A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.

During Mass, three genuflections are made by the Priest Celebrant: namely, after the elevation of the host, after the elevation of the chalice, and before Communion. Certain specific features to be observed in a concele-brated Mass are noted in their proper place (cf. nos. 210-251).

If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is situated in the sanctuary, the Priest, the Deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the celebration of Mass itself.

Otherwise, all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession.

Ministers carrying the processional cross or candles bow their heads instead of genuflecting.

275. A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bow: a bow of the head and a bow of the body.

a) A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.

b) A bow of the body, that is to say, a profound bow, is made to the altar; during the prayers Munda cor meum (Cleanse my heart) and In spiritu humilitatis (With humble spirit); in the Creed at the words et incarnatus est (and by the Holy Spirit . . . and became man); in the Roman Canon at the Supplices te rogamus (In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God). The same kind of bow is made by the Deacon when he asks for a blessing before the proclamation of the Gospel. In addition, the Priest bows slightly as he pronounces the words of the Lord at the Consecration.

The SIGN of the Cross

Here the “form” is far less signifient than a right understanding of what we are doing [conscious awareness of the act], than exactly how it is accomplished.
Perhaps better than any other sign of Catholism is this signing oneself with the “Cross of Jesus Christ.” That friend is what “it is.”

We do this for a number of important reasons:

1. To identify ourselves as Catholics
2. To bring us instantly into the presence of our God
3. To remind ourselves how much God loves us and HOW He freely choose to prove it
4. To initiate an awareness within ourselves of where we are and who WE ARE: God’s Chosen ones.
5. As an affirmation of our belief in the Most Blessed Trinity

The form ought not undue attention to ourselves.

We ought to recite the WORDS of this act, each time we make “The Sigh of the Cross“.: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy [Ghost] or Spirit.. AMEN!” [means: “I believe.”]

Grace is merited by a mindful and carefully and prayerfully said use of this SIGN. Even more so when done with “Holy Water.”

Exactly how one chooses to do it is a “personal practice” and a refection of ones own piety practice. I don’t ever recall [then again at 68, I may have just forgotten it?] a specified hand; fingers Ect. Preference. I use two fingers to remind MYSELF, of the Two Natures of Christ: His perfect humanity combined with His ever-present Divinity.

Doing this consciously, fully aware of what and WHY we do it is FAR more important than the “form” of the hand used.

Continued Blessings,
Working4christ; Pat

That's the Eastern Christian way of making the Sign of The Cross. My ancestral Church is the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church. The thumb and two fingers signify and remind us of the Holy Trinity. The two fingers folded in together remind us the Jesus has both and Divine and Human nature united in Him who is fully God and Fully man.
When we pray this we pray in the name of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit. It is the Sign of The Cross testifying that we follow The Crusified One. Then the persecutions began, this is the sign given in witness of Christ by which those in the early Church who were being put to death gave their Witness (Greek: μάρτυς, mártys, "witness"; stem μάρτυρ-, mártyr-). This is where the term Martyr comes from.

A monk passed this onto me;
The sign of the Cross can also mean; Thy-Will-Be-Done

Here is a great video on the Eastern way to do the Sign of the Cross:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yqZQy5joQg

Here is a video of how to do the Western style Sign of The Cross:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9t9KqfvIhc

I'm * Option C. Hold your thumb, index finger, middle finger of your right hand together (signifying the Trinity) while tucking the ring finger and pinky finger (signifying the two natures of Christ) toward your palm. This is the typically Eastern Catholic practice.

Only if by option C, your mean Option He-re-C.

The TRUE way to make the sign of the cross.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSrMPVVtbIw