 see below).    ==)==  Why was this removed?   In the Catholic Church, a priest or deacon blesses with one sign of the cross over an object or person, but a bishop blesses with a triple sign of the cross; ordained bishops, priests and deacons have more empowerment to bless objects and people other than themselves; according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church the more a blessing is concerned with eccesial or sacramental matters, the more it is reserved to clergy.The Catechism of the Catholic Church, Sacramentals, 1669 http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c4a1.htm  The status of lay blessings in during distribution of communion is ambiguous. Extraordinary Ministers of Communion, blessing those who do not wish to or cannot receive communion can speak or raise the hand but not make the sign of the cross over the person.The Archdiocesan Manual for Parish Trainers of Extraordinary Ministers of Communion, Atlanta Archdiocese http://www.archatl.com/offices/chancellor/training/pdfs/2011-2012/2012-EMHC-manual-english.pdf  EWTN, Blessings for Non-Communicants http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur81.htm  In the Catholic organization, Legion of Mary, members doing door to door parish surveys bless the homes of those not home by tracing the sign of the cross on the door.Legion of Mary Handbook Although the sign of the cross dates to ante-Nicene Christianity, it was rejected by some of the Reformers, and is absent from some forms of Protestantism, although other forms of Protestantism, such as the Anglican Church and Lutheran Church use it. However, it has often been rejected by some Non-Conformist Protestants as being a High Church practice, despite Martin Luther's positive personal view. The prescribed use of the sign in Book of Common Prayer and the defence of the sign of the cross were established in Anglican canon law in 1604.  Sign of the cross.   