You were taught to make the sign of the cross before you could read, but no one told you where that gesture came from. No pope invented it. It originated in the homes of the first Christians, and its shape comes from a Hebrew letter that a prophet saw traced on the foreheads of a very specific group of people. Luther knew this, and that's why it was one of the few things he preserved. If you ever doubted the institution without ceasing to believe, this story is for you.

Two things I left out.

Luther didn't die by his own hand. He died of a heart condition in Eisleben, on February 18, 1546, surrounded by friends and reciting a psalm aloud. It was written down by two men who were in the room.

And there was a country where arguing about whether the sign was made with two fingers or three split the Church in two. It remains split today.

That story and eleven more, each with its source → 📚 reflect-with-me.netlify.app 📚

See also (the script refers to these two videos in the description):
Who Invented Confession? Luther Revealed an Origin the Church Never Explained ¿Quién Inventó La Confesión? Lutero Reveló...
Why Do We Pray for the Dead? Luther Uncovered the Business Behind That Custom ¿Por Qué Rezamos Por Los Muertos? Lutero E...

A new story every week. Tell us in the comments which childhood custom you'd like us to investigate.

#SignOfTheCross #Luther #ChurchHistory