The Sign of the Cross

 

Catholics believe the cross is a symbol of Christianity

Over the past two lessons, Year 1 have been exploring one of the most important symbols in the Christian faith: the cross. The children have approached this learning with curiosity, respect, and lots of enthusiasm — and we’re excited to share what they’ve been discovering.

✝️ Lesson 1: The Cross as a Christian Symbol

We began with an I Spy Cross Hunt, looking closely at photographs to spot where crosses appear in everyday life — on churches, jewellery, buildings, artwork, and even in unexpected places. The children loved finding hidden crosses and talking about why they might be there.

Learning the Sign of the Cross

We introduced the Sign of the Cross, a short prayer Catholics say often. The children learned the simple movements:

• forehead

• chest

• left shoulder

• right shoulder

And the words: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

We explained that this prayer reminds Christians of the Trinity — one God in three Persons.

Hear, Believe, Live

We explored three key ideas:

• Hear – Catholics hear the Sign of the Cross at Mass, before meals, at the start and end of prayers, and sometimes when something sad or surprising happens.

• Believe – Catholics believe the cross is a symbol of Jesus and that Christians follow His example.

• Live – Christians try to live like Jesus by being kind, helping others, and remembering His love.

We also shared a child‑friendly version of “The Cross in My Pocket”, which helped the children understand that Christians sometimes carry a small cross to remind them to be thankful and to try their best each day.

The children sorted pictures into crosses used as Christian symbols and other everyday symbols (like hearts, stars, and flags). They then completed a meaning mat to finish the sentence:

“The cross reminds Christians of…” – Jesus – love – the Trinity – being a follower of Jesus

🎨 Lesson 2: Celebrate – The Cross in Christian Life

In our second lesson, we explored how Catholics celebrate their faith using the Sign of the Cross.

We revisited the prayer and learned that Catholics around the world celebrate Trinity Sunday after Pentecost. The Sign of the Cross is a joyful reminder of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

How Catholics Celebrate

We talked about the different ways Christians celebrate their faith:

• praying

• singing

• making art

• gathering at Mass

• showing joy

• remembering the Trinity

The children were fascinated to learn that the Sign of the Cross is both a prayer and a celebration.

Salt‑Painting Crosses

This was a highlight of the week! Using black paper, glue, salt, and watercolours, the children created beautiful textured crosses. They loved watching the colours spread across the salt “like magic”.

Many children added words such as: “Father, Son, Holy Spirit” or “The Cross is a symbol of Jesus.”

To finish, the children proudly held up their artwork and completed the sentence:

“Christians celebrate their faith by…” Their answers included praying, singing, helping others, and remembering Jesus.