Approaching the Altar - Bow vs. Genuflect?

[TimothyH]

Probably the most asked question in the history of Catholicism…

Suppose an altar server approaches the sanctuary to get to the sacristy prior to Mass. Does he bow toward the altar? Or does he touch one knee to the ground? Does it make a difference if Jesus is present in the tabernacle or not?

What about passing in front of behind the altar? Bow toward the altar? Genuflect toward the tabernacle? Does it make a difference if Jesus is present?

What at the entrance and recession of the Mass? I notice the priests and deacons usually bowing but occasionally they bend the knee. It seems to me that they always seem to know when to genuflect - they do it in unison, as if it was expected. Under what circumstances would the priest genuflect or just bow and should the altar server do likewise (except for the cross bearer, of course).

-Tim-

 

[MusicMan]

The placement of the Tabernacle will dictate the actions of the people in the Sanctuary.

Before Mass, one should genuflect when passing the Tabernacle. If the Tabernacle is located anywhere other than behind the altar, then one should bow when passing in front of the altar.

During Mass, you bow when passing in front of the altar (and Tabernacle if it is behind), and genuflect to the Tabernacle if you are going into it to retrieve the reserved Sacrament.

In the recessional procession, you genuflect to the Tabernacle if it is behind the altar, or bow to the altar if the Tabernacle is not.

 

[Neil_McFhane]

So, during Mass if one is passing between the Altar and Tabernacle, you should turn towards the altar (and the people) and make a profound bow? That seems to be what the GIRM directs, but seems awkward - but this might be due to my parish tending to genuflect when passing tabernacle during Mass.

 

[MusicMan]

I think that in that instance, you would bow to the Tabernacle.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

So, during Mass if one is passing between the Altar and Tabernacle, you should turn towards the altar (and the people) and make a profound bow? That seems to be what the GIRM directs, but seems awkward - but this might be due to my parish tending to genuflect when passing tabernacle during Mass.

The GIRM state that we genuflect towards the tabernacle, if it is in the sanctuary, at the beginning and end of Mass but at all other times during Mass we bow if we cross in front of it.

 

[MissRose73]

I genuflect before taking my seat as most churches I have attended, the tabernacle is in the back or hidden from view.

If I do walk by the tabernacle, then yes I do bow and cross myself after, and perhaps genuflect too.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The part of the GIRM referred to in post #5 above:

“274. … If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the sanctuary, the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the celebration of Mass itself.”

(From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html ).

 

[jetpack_joe]

So, during Mass if one is passing between the Altar and Tabernacle, you should turn towards the altar (and the people) and make a profound bow? That seems to be what the GIRM directs, but seems awkward - but this might be due to my parish tending to genuflect when passing tabernacle during Mass.

During Mass the center of attention is the consecration and therefore the altar. In a situation like this, it is appropriate to bow to the altar.

 

[dskysmine]

Hey,
I’m an altar server in my parish. Our Tabernacle is not behind the altar, it is in the far left side of the Church. Whenever we pass in front of the altar we are supposed to bow to the altar. Even if the Eucharist is in the altar we are only supposed to bow, unless we are leaving the presbytery, then we would genuflect. We also genuflect at Good Friday whenever the cross is in the altar and we are leaving the presbytery, but during mass/Good Friday celebration it’s always a profound bow to the altar.
We learned it with someone who actually had a major in Liturgy but it was more than 10 years ago. I may have forgotten some things.
Hope that helps.

 

[jetpack_joe]

Hey,
I’m an altar server in my parish. Our Tabernacle is not behind the altar, it is in the far left side of the Church. Whenever we pass in front of the altar we are supposed to bow to the altar. Even if the Eucharist is in the altar we are only supposed to bow, unless we are leaving the presbytery, then we would genuflect. We also genuflect at Good Friday whenever the cross is in the altar and we are leaving the presbytery, but during mass/Good Friday celebration it’s always a profound bow to the altar.
We learned it with someone who actually had a major in Liturgy but it was more than 10 years ago. I may have forgotten some things.
Hope that helps.

When the Sacrament is on the altar, you should genuflect. Also, it is appropriate to genuflect to the cross on Good Friday/Holy Saturday.

 

[dskysmine]

When the Sacrament is on the altar, you should genuflect. Also, it is appropriate to genuflect to the cross on Good Friday/Holy Saturday.

Only if you are leaving the presbytery…
We pass in front of the altar often enough during mass and we are not supposed to be genuflecting all those times.

 

[TrueLight]

Only if you are leaving the presbytery…
We pass in front of the altar often enough during mass and we are not supposed to be genuflecting all those times.

I guess it is different in the EF.

Those boys genuflect every time they pass the altar, or anytime they are about to turn their backs to the altar, like right before the server incenses the congregation. .

 

[thomas_jd]

I guess it is different in the EF.

Those boys genuflect every time they pass the altar, or anytime they are about to turn their backs to the altar, like right before the server incenses the congregation. .

If this Mass was celebrated by a diocesian priest the servers are in error unless he is the guest at a religious group function.
A religious priest may celebrate mass outside of the GIRM guidelines and the servers "may "be permitted to act as such.
Watch the mass televised at EWTN for a example.

 

[dskysmine]

I guess it is different in the EF.

Those boys genuflect every time they pass the altar, or anytime they are about to turn their backs to the altar, like right before the server incenses the congregation. .

Genuflection is a reverence reserved only for the Eucharist or the Cross at Good Friday… not the altar. That doesn’t mean that kneeling isn’t possible in other circumstances (when the procession enters the Church at Good Friday for example, but there are others).
I don’t understand how the server could genuflect before incensing the congregation because according to the norms when we use incense we afirst are kneeling for the Eucharist incensation (3x3 incensations) then we are standing in front of the priest and the altar to incense the priest (3x2) and finally we turn to the congregation to incense everyone (3x1). This was how I was taught.

We also kneel for example when we are guarding the Sacred Reserve after Holy Thursday celebration, but that’s in adoration (servers holding candles and the cross may be standing if it is hard for them to kneel at this time).

I think that genuflecting too much in the mass makes too much of a fuss going on around the altar and takes people’s attention away from what’s most important. As servers we are always advised to move as less as physically possible not to distract people from the Sacrament.