Bowing during Nicene Creed

[Epistemes]

Why are we encouraged to bow during the Nicene Creed at the part where say “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man”?

And why do some people bow earlier at “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven”?

 

[benedictgal]

Why are we encouraged to bow during the Nicene Creed at the part where say “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man”?

And why do some people bow earlier at “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven”?

We bow at this particular phrase because Jesus became incarnate for us. During Christmas and its octave (eight days), we genuflect at these words.

Furthermore, it is a pious practice to also bow at the name of Jesus, when it is mentioned both in the Creed and in the Gloria. This is to fulfill what St. Paul notes that at the name of Jesus we should have some sort of reverence.

 

[japhy]

Why are we encouraged to bow during the Nicene Creed at the part where say “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man”? And why do some people bow earlier at “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven”?

Anticipation? They’re early. The bow is for the words Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est only.

We bow at this part of the Creed as a sign of reverence for the wondrous miracle of the Incarnation, by which our God deigned to come to us as a man. The bow is just that: a sign of reverence for the Incarnation.

In The Glories of the Catholic Church: The Catholic Christian Instructed in Defence of His Faith (via Google Books), the explanation given is this:
Why does the priest kneel at the words Et incarnatus est?
In adoration of our Lord’s blessed Humanity and in profound acknowledgment of His unspeakable condescension in taking our flesh upon Him.
In the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, you genuflect at this part of the Creed. You also genuflect when John 1:14 is read at the end of the Mass (“et Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis…”, “And the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us…”).

In the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, you genuflect at this part of the Creed on only two occasions: the solemnities of the Annunciation (March 25) and of the Nativity (December 25). I’m not sure if, as benedictgal said, the genuflection is also done during the Octave of the Nativity of our Lord.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Why are we encouraged to bow during the Nicene Creed at the part where say “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man”?

And why do some people bow earlier at “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven”?

1. Because they don’t know any better.
2. Because it is the event that allowed Christ be unite Human nature with Divinity, it allowed Man to share in God’s Divinity. Without it the Sacrifice of the Cross would not have been possible.

 

[John_Lilburne]

… During Christmas and its octave (eight days), we genuflect at these words. …

The General Instruction of Roman Missal has: “137. … At the words et incarnatus est (by the power of the Holy Spirit . . . became man) all make a profound bow; but on the Solemnities of the Annunciation and of the Nativity of the Lord, all genuflect.”

On Christmas Day the rubrics are: “In the profession of faith, all genuflect at the words, and became man.” For the Sunday in the Octave of Christmas the rubrics are: “Profession of faith, when this feast is celebrated on Sunday.” (Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 46.)

So my understanding is that there are no instructions to genuflect in the Creed during the Octave of Christmas, only for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

 

[benedictgal]

The General Instruction of Roman Missal has: “137. … At the words et incarnatus est (by the power of the Holy Spirit . . . became man) all make a profound bow; but on the Solemnities of the Annunciation and of the Nativity of the Lord, all genuflect.”

On Christmas Day the rubrics are: “In the profession of faith, all genuflect at the words, and became man.” For the Sunday in the Octave of Christmas the rubrics are: “Profession of faith, when this feast is celebrated on Sunday.” (Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 46.)

So my understanding is that there are no instructions to genuflect in the Creed during the Octave of Christmas, only for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

And, as the rubrics pointed out, at the Solemnity of the Annunciation. Thank you for clarifying that, John. Although tt was my understanding that the Octave was the continuation of Christmas day, only that it was stretched out ot eight days.

 

[mark_a]

Why are we encouraged to bow during the Nicene Creed at the part where say “by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man”?

Because the missal says to???

 

[sbriton]

I only wish more cradle Catholics did this practice. For years I’ve seen only a handful of people bow at any given Mass where at least a hundred are present. What’s worse is it’s printed in the Missalette and pretty much every Prayer book I’ve seen. Very sad.

Merry Christmas!

Simon

 

[LilyM]

I think some people just have stiffer joints and take longer to bow, so they start early. It’s regrettably not a common practice here either - even some priests don’t do it.

 

[AJV]

I think some people just have stiffer joints and take longer to bow, so they start early. It’s regrettably not a common practice here either - even some priests don’t do it.

I thought it might be because they associate the “he came down from heaven” with the phrase to follow, and so think that reverencing the Incarnation means from “For us men…”

 

[anon77300002]

This action taught me theology. I became a Catholic at a Tridentine Mass. I was surprised that people knelt here rather than at “He was crucified also for us”. I realized more than I ever had before that the Incarnation is such an amazing event.
(That’s the beauty of the EF – the whole Mass instructs much more than the OF.)

 

[JimG]

It would be easier to remember to do it, if they had kept the genuflection instead of the bow.

Strangely enough, genuflection seems to come easier to most Americans than bowing.

 

[ASD]

That’s the beauty of the EF – the whole Mass instructs much more than the OF.):

That is true, and it’s an amazing irony. I think it would be uncontroversial to say that part of the intention of Sacrosanctum Concilium was to help people understand the Mass better. But, though I know it is controversial to say so, IMHO that just hasn’t happened. Although it’s in vernacular, neighborhood folk read the Epistle, we have hearty handshakes after Canon, &c, I think most Catholics at NO or OF do not have good understanding of what’s really going on. In fact, I think recognition of that reality is what Summorum Pontificum is all about.

For my own part, in all honesty, without any exaggeration, I can say that I didn’t have a clue what was really happening at Mass until I went to EF at 46 years of age.

:re genuflection at incarnatus est, although I can’t find a citation, I think that was a reaction to one of the heresies about the nature of Christ. The idea was that Priests who wouldn’t genuflect there weren’t orthodox.

ASD​

Traditional Latin Mass: Translation and Grammar

 

[tee_eff_em]

Although tt was my understanding that the Octave was the continuation of Christmas day, only that it was stretched out ot eight days.

The Christmas Octave is an odd duck – Liturgically, the days of the Octave rank between Feasts and Commemorations (Memorials). But (modulo local Solemnities) it has 4 Feasts and 2 Commemorations built into it! :whacky:

tee