_Blessing by the Hand_ (Vol. iii., pp. 477. 509.).--The priest of the
Greek church, in blessing with the hand, anciently held it with the
thumb crossing the third finger, the first finger being held straight,
the second and fourth curved, so as to represent altogether the Greek
letters I C X C, the first and last letters of "Jesus Christ." The same
letters are impressed on the bread used in their eucharist, the bread
being marked with the Greek cross, similar to our cross-buns, with the
letters I C and X C in the upper angles of the cross, and the letters N
and K in the two lower angles. The N K is the abbreviation of [Greek:
nika], and the whole phrase is "Jesus Christ conquers." This church
derived the expression from the standard (labarum) of Constantine,
[Greek: en toutô nika] = _in hoc signo vinces_. In Goar's notes on the
Greek rituals, especially that of Chrysostom's, much information may be
obtained on the symbolisms of Christianity.