S
sallybutler
Guest
I don’t see many people hitting their heart 3 times during The Lamb of God. I remember being confused on the third one, was it supposed to be during Lamb of God, or during grant us peace.
It is likewise called for (if less than frequently observed) in the Roman Rite. GIRM:I have never seen this done, although in Anglican churches, the Ordinariate and Anglican Use parishes it is customary to always bow your head during the Glory Be.
- A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bow: a bow of the head and a bow of the body.
A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together
:bowdown:and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.
This sign is likewise indicated in the GIRMAt the Gospel, all should do this sign. It’s an ancient and universal practice. If the faithful weren’t allowed to do this, they would have been told centuries ago, and the practice would have stopped. But since it’s universally spread, then it wasn’t forbidden to do this.
Yeap, here it is: catholic.com/quickquestions/whats-the-significance-of-the-crossing-of-the-forehead-lips-and-heart-before-the-gosp
Enjoy!![]()
- At the ambo, the Priest opens the book and, with hands joined, says, The Lord be with you, to which the people reply, And with your spirit. Then he says, A reading from the holy Gospel, making the Sign of the Cross with his thumb on the book and on his forehead, mouth, and breast,
which everyone else does as well
. The people acclaim, Glory to you, O Lord. The Priest incenses the book, if incense is being used (cf. nos. 276-277). Then he proclaims the Gospel and at the end pronounces the acclamation The Gospel of the Lord, to which all reply, Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. The Priest kisses the book, saying quietly the formula Per evangelica dicta (Through the words of the Gospel).

Striking the breast is done when the Confiteor, Penitential Act Form A, is used. We do it at the words “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault”. Those words were restored to the Confiteor with the new translation.I don’t see many people hitting their heart 3 times during The Lamb of God. I remember being confused on the third one, was it supposed to be during Lamb of God, or during grant us peace.
Could be Eastern Catholics – generally, we are taught to always make the sign of the Cross at the mention of the Most Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One true God. In some Traditions, such as the Malankara and Syriac - we also make the SOC when the Cross or Crucifixion are mentioned.I have noticed kids in my 8th grade Confirmation class (not a super traditional parish) when we pray the Glory Be at the end of class making the SOC. I just figured it was a reaction the hearing the Trinity recited.
I was taught to use holy water both on the way in and the way out, especially on the way out as a reminder that by our Baptism we are witnesses to the world outside.Ok, I can accept this explanation. But I do not agree with your statement that people would have been informed. CAF is full of threads about abuses in the Mass where no one bothers to correct or inform people of what they are not supposed to be doing.
Happens every day.
Peace.
It’s certainly a common pious practice amongst both Catholics and Orthodox.I have a question about the Glory Be. I have seen some people at my home parish trace the Sign of the Cross over themselves as they pray the Glory Be. Is this a Traditional Catholic practice or does it stem from something else?
Thanks in advance.![]()
It’s not wrong to do it. I do it tooI thought you were supposed to make the sign of the cross during the Glory be, and have taught my children to do it. Not quite sure where I picked that up -am I wrong?
Me too!It’s not wrong to do it. I do it too
I don’t about actually crossing oneself, however I am aware that there is a traditional Catholic practice of bowing your head:I have a question about the Glory Be. I have seen some people at my home parish trace the Sign of the Cross over themselves as they pray the Glory Be. Is this a Traditional Catholic practice or does it stem from something else?
Thanks in advance.![]()
The three signs’ on the forehead, lips and heart also have a prayer to go with them. “May the Word of God be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart all the days of my life.” At least that is my prayer…it’s nice to share.All the Hispanics from Mexico at my present and previous parishes do this.
I never have, but I remember lots of kids in Catholic school did.
Then there are the thumb-kissers…the people that kiss their fingertips at the end of the Sign of the Cross as if there were a crucifix in it.
People have a lot of different small "t’ traditions.
I myself, cross myself at the end of the Confiteor. (like a small absolution). People seem to have stopped doing this, but growing up, everyone did. I’ve retained it.
People nowadays mimic the presider’s gestures as well.
I had a pastor tell me that the three crosses before the Gospel on the head, heart and lips, was only for the person proclaiming the Gospel, but that people just copy it. But it’s universal. I’d be interested to know if that’s how it came about. Anybody know? We didn’t cover that in our theology coursework.
I should have mentioned : At the reading of the Gospel!The three signs’ on the forehead, lips and heart also have a prayer to go with them. “May the Word of God be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart all the days of my life.” At least that is my prayer…it’s nice to share.![]()