When is it said in the Liturgy?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-09
In the Coptic Orthodox Liturgy, this specific phrase is part of the Conclusion of every Liturgy.
Specifically, it is prayed by the Priest during the Prayer of Laying on of Hands (the final blessing and dismissal). This prayer occurs immediately after the Final Confession and the distribution of the Holy Mysteries (Communion).
The Liturgical Context:
After the congregation has partaken of the Body and Blood of Christ, and before the Priest dismisses the people with the "Prayer of Blessing" (where he sprinkles the water), he prays the Prayer of Laying on of Hands. In this prayer, the Priest asks God to keep the people in the true faith and to preserve the grace they have just received.
The phrase is usually uttered in the following context (often as a concluding petition for the spiritual life of the assembly):
"Establish the sign of Your Cross before our eyes until we meet You on the clouds."
Theological Significance:
- The Cross as a Guide: By asking God to "establish the sign of the Cross before our eyes," we are asking that the memory of Christ’s sacrifice and His victory over death remains the focal point of our lives as we walk out of the church doors and back into the world.
- The Eschatological Hope: The mention of "meeting You on the clouds" refers to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This reflects the Miaphysite understanding that our liturgical life is a foretaste of the eternal life to come. We receive the "Pledge of the Kingdom" in the Eucharist and look forward to the "Resurrection of Glory."
- Connection to the Procession: Just as we process around the altar during the Feast of the Resurrection or during the Baptismal rite (as a symbol of the Apostles preaching Christ’s Resurrection to the world), this prayer serves as a final spiritual "procession" of the heart, preparing the believer to witness for Christ until His return.
In the Coptic language, the Cross is referenced as ⲡⲓⲥⲧⲁⲩⲣⲟⲥ (a Greek loanword commonly used in Coptic for "The Cross").
This prayer ensures that the believer leaves the Liturgy not just with a full stomach of the "Food of Immortality," but with a clear vision of their destination: the heavenly Jerusalem.