Crossing oneself before/after prayers

[Jayne]

Lately, at our house, we have been doing noon Angelus, followed by Grace before Meals (followed by lunch, as one might guess.)  So the big debate going on here is whether we do the Sign of the Cross after Angelus, the way we normally would.  Is it:

1. cross prayer prayer cross
2. cross prayer cross prayer cross
3. cross prayer cross cross prayer cross

(Keep in mind that we have been kept in the house together for about 5 years now.  Well, three weeks, but it's about the same.  )

[Vetus Ordo]

The custom is to cross yourself before initiating a prayer and after concluding it.

If you're doing many prayers in a row, just cross yourself at the beginning and end of the sequence.

[queen.saints]

It depends on if you're moving from one room to another. For instance, in most small traditional Catholic schools you say the Angelus and grace before meals together in the cafeteria, so the norm is to make the sign of the cross before and after the entire set of prayers. Larger schools with a chapel attached will often have prayers there at noon and then move to the cafeteria, in which case the sign of the cross is made at the beginning and end of the prayers and Angelus in chapel and then again for the grace in the dining room.

The latter is what we do at home.

[Bernadette]

The first one.