What about the Sign of the Cross? How do I form it and why do I sometimes feel embarrassed to make it upon myself and others?

The sign of the Cross is the chief blessing given to us by the Lord Himself. In the Gospel according to Luke, the evangelist relates to us that when Jesus was to ascend into the heavens to glorify human nature and to set His seal on His victory over death through the Cross and the Empty Tomb, Jesus "raised His hands

Question: When I go into an Orthodox church or monastery, I see candles--sometimes unlit, sometimes lit, sometimes being lit and at all kinds of times. What's going on? What's important here and how do I participate?

A Theoretical and a Practical answer follows...

Theoretical Answer: Lighting a candle is an act of prayer. As our Orthodox Christian faith teaches us, every act of faith always involves the whole person, body and soul. So, when I light a candle, I offer physical fire before the image of Christ and the saints as a visible expression of my burning heart of love for God and desire to see the life of the Lord burn yet greater in me and in those for whom I pray. My sensory perceptions are employed: I see fire