My host mother is the choir director at the local Orthodox Church. It has been a lot of fun and interesting learning about the Orthodox Church and the many celebrations/practices of the church.
We had one discussion about how they ‘cross themselves’. I have not spent much time with Catholics or Orthodox Christians so I do not know the proper ways to cross myself nor the proper name for this action. In Moldova when people cross themselves they put their thumb and the first two fingers tightly together (makes a trinity design) and go from forehead to belly (sometimes they touch the ground) to right shoulder to left shoulder. I believe my host mom said that Catholics switch the shoulder order and use three fingers instead of the two fingers plus thumb.
At the monastery at Orhei Vechi this poster on the gate as you enter showing you the proper way to cross yourself (my host family got a laugh out of the demons, it is not something taught):
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