Genflect Toward the Eucharist or Altar?

[dts]

In churches where the real presence is kept in a side chapel, should you genuflect facing toward the chapel or the altar/crucifix?

 

[OraEtLabora]

Toward the chapel.

 

[NoPlaceLikeRome]

We have a church with the tabernacle in a small chapel with at my school and the usual is people go into the chapel and genuflect upon entering, then bow to the altar when passing it and when entering aisles. Is that correct or should we be genuflecting towards the chapel when entering aisles then?

 

[kleary]

The traditional mannar for genuflection by a lay person is:

A. You genuflect if the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the Tabernacle on the Main Altar. (Nowadays the Tabernacle is not on the main altar but on a pillar behind it mostly- but same deal)

B. If the Tabernacle is not on the Main Altar or reserved in a side chapel, such as in many cathedrals you still would genuflect but towards the crucifix. In my church this happens from Holy Thursday through the Easter Vigil when there is nothing in the Tabernacle. We all still genuflect, not to the altar but to the image of the crucified Lord.

In the event the Blessed Sacrament was not reserved on the main altar or in a tabernacle behind it and a crucifix is present priests would not genuflect towards the crucifix but bow.

This is according to the Traditional rubrics. I have no idea concerning the “Modern rite”…it seems in the modern rite no one genuflects anymore no matter what.

Ken

 

[kleary]

We have a church with the tabernacle in a small chapel with at my school and the usual is people go into the chapel and genuflect upon entering, then bow to the altar when passing it and when entering aisles. Is that correct or should we be genuflecting towards the chapel when entering aisles then?

If there is a crucifix on the altar or behind it on the wall you genuflect to the image of the crucified Lord.

Ken

 

[OraEtLabora]

If there is a crucifix on the altar or behind it on the wall you genuflect to the image of the crucified Lord.

What is your source for that? The rules for genuflection are fairly simple.

If the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, one should genuflect on both knees (double genuflection).

One should genuflect on the right knee when doing reverence to the Blessed Sacrament, enclosed in the Tabernacle, or lying upon the corporeal during Mass. This honor is also paid to a relic of the True Cross.

On Good Friday, after the ceremony of the Adoration of the Cross, and until Holy Saturday, all should genuflect in passing before the unveiled cross upon the high altar. There is no other occasion on which to genuflect to the cross. If the Blessed Sacrament is sadly hidden away out of view, you may bow to the crucifix before entering your pew.

Also, remember that one should genuflect on Christmas and the Annunciation at the words “and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man” during the recitation of the Creed.

 

[kleary]

After consulting my “Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described” by Fortescue and O’Connel I see a small ambiguity concerning this practice… most likely because in parish churches the Tabernacle was always on the High Altar in the past.

I have forwarded the question to an email discussion list for further clarification of what to do in this case “traditionally” that is.

All I know is coming from my experience at my church and the book I have here.

Ken

 

[demerzel85]

Hmm… if the Blessed Sacrament is reserved at the side altar does when still genuflect when crossing the centre aisle?

 

[palmas85]

Hmm… if the Blessed Sacrament is reserved at the side altar does when still genuflect when crossing the centre aisle?

As far as I know you genuflect when passing in front of the Tabernacle,** if** the Body of Christ is reserved there… If the Tabernacle is not in the Sanctuary, you bow towards the altar and would still genuflect if you pass in front of wherever the Tabernacle is. The double knee genuflection towards the exposed Blessed Sacrament was done away with I believe in the first wave of modernization after Vatican II.

I’ve never heard of genuflecting towards the Crucifix except during Holy Week and don’t think it is the corrrect thing to do.

 

[lak611]

The double knee genuflection towards the exposed Blessed Sacrament was done away with I believe in the first wave of modernization after Vatican II.

I’ve never heard of genuflecting towards the Crucifix and don’t think it is the corrrect thing to do.

I have gone to a shrine Church in Cleveland that has perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Everybody always kneels on both knees in the center aisle when entering the Church, then they go kneel in their pew on the kneeler. I still do that when I go there, and so does everybody else including young people (teens/kids).

I have never genuflected towards a Crucifix, nor was I taught to ever do that. In fact, my parents always told me on Good Friday when the Crucifix is covered in a black cloth and since the Body of Christ was NOT in the tabernacle that I was to just walk down the aisle and enter the pew. Then I could kneel to pray. Then only time I genuflect on Good Friday is during the Stations of the Cross service, because that’s part of each Station.

 

[Eileen_T]

The parish I was baptised into and where my mother and sisters still reside built a new Church.

The first time I entered it my 6 year old asked “Where is Jesus?” That was my question also, although we meant differnt things by it.

My daughter saw a cross without the “corpus”. I had to look around to find the tabernacle.

The tabernacle is in an enclosed chapel over to the left of the main entrance.

When I go into that Church, I bless myself with holy water and go to the chapel where I genuflect and adore the “Prisoner of Love”.

While I might give reverence to the Altar of Sacrifice, I bow my knee ONLY to the God of the Universe.

 

[palmas85]

I have gone to a shrine Church in Cleveland that has perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Everybody always kneels on both knees in the center aisle when entering the Church, then they go kneel in their pew on the kneeler. I still do that when I go there, and so does everybody else including young people (teens/kids).

I have never genuflected towards a Crucifix, nor was I taught to ever do that. In fact, my parents always told me on Good Friday when the Crucifix is covered in a black cloth and since the Body of Christ was NOT in the tabernacle that I was to just walk down the aisle and enter the pew. Then I could kneel to pray. Then only time I genuflect on Good Friday is during the Stations of the Cross service, because that’s part of each Station.

Kneeling is not the same as a double genuflection. I kneel in front of the Blessed Sacrament also. Lots of people genuflect to the Crucifix on Good Friday but I have never known if it is proper of not.

 

[lak611]

Kneeling is not the same as a double genuflection. I kneel in front of the Blessed Sacrament also. Lots of people genuflect to the Crucifix on Good Friday but I have never known if it is proper of not.

Is the double genuflection getting down on both knees when entering the Church, then getting up? That’s what I do and what I’ve seen everyone else do. Then I go into the pew and kneel on the kneeler.

Is the Crucifix exposed in your Church on Good Friday? In mine, it’s not.

 

[palmas85]

Is the double genuflection getting down on both knees when entering the Church, then getting up? That’s what I do and what I’ve seen everyone else do. Then I go into the pew and kneel on the kneeler.

Is the Crucifix exposed in your Church on Good Friday? In mine, it’s not.

I haven’t seen a crucufux covered in years. Of course many Churches no longer have Crucifixes anyway. . The double genuflection was for when they have the Blessed Sacrament Exposed such as in Adorations and Benedictions. You genuflected on the right knee, then on the left. Not real easy to do. I haven’t seen it done since the 70’s. In Adorations I’ve seen in that time most people just kneel. I’ve heard that some dioceses still have it the double genuflection, but I haven’t seen it and I really don’t think it is universal anymore.

 

[AJV]

If there is a crucifix on the altar or behind it on the wall you genuflect to the image of the crucified Lord.

Ken

After consulting my “Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described” by Fortescue and O’Connel I see a small ambiguity concerning this practice… most likely because in parish churches the Tabernacle was always on the High Altar in the past.

I have forwarded the question to an email discussion list for further clarification of what to do in this case “traditionally” that is.

All I know is coming from my experience at my church and the book I have here.

Ken

I’m pretty sure that going by the Traditonal rubrics you are correct. The subdeacon and deacon genuflect to the cross when passing during the incensing at a Solemn High Mass, and the subdeacon genuflects in the middle of the altar before reading the Epistle.

But I think that the “NO” rubrics do not mandate this any more. Usually bows are mentioned but more to the altar rather than the crucifix.

 

[OraEtLabora]

From the GIRM:

Genuflections and Bows

1. A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.

During Mass, three genuflections are made by the priest celebrant: namely, after the showing of the host, after the showing of the chalice, and before Communion. Certain specific features to be observed in a concelebrated Mass are noted in their proper place (cf. above, nos. 210-251).

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.

Otherwise all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession.

Ministers carrying the processional cross or candles bow their heads instead of genuflecting.

1. A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bows: 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 and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.

A bow of the body, that is to say a profound bow, is made to the altar; during the prayers Munda cor meum (Almighty God, cleanse my heart) and In spiritu humilitatis (Lord God, we ask you to receive); in the Creed at the words Et incarnatus est (by the power of the Holy Spirit . . . made man); in the Roman Canon at the words Supplices te rogamus (Almighty God, we pray that your angel). The same kind of bow is made by the deacon when he asks for a blessing before the proclamation of the Gospel. In addition, the priest bows slightly as he speaks the words of the Lord at the consecration.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

In churches where the real presence is kept in a side chapel, should you genuflect facing toward the chapel or the altar/crucifix?

In general:

We never genuflect to anything, we only genuflect to Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament.

If the tabernacle is present within the same liturgical space, you genuflect towards the tabernacle. If it is located in another room, you do not.

Bowing to the altar or crucifix if the tabernacle is not present.

Simple question / simple answer. Not noting all the special exceptions in the GIRM.

 

[CRW]

In churches where the real presence is kept in a side chapel, should you genuflect facing toward the chapel or the altar/crucifix?

If the tabernacle is not located in the Chuch, you would bow to the altar. You genuflect when you cross the tabernacle containing the Blessed Sacrament.

 

[tee_eff_em]

palmas85;1726788:

The double knee genuflection towards the exposed Blessed Sacrament was done away with I believe in the first wave of modernization after Vatican II.

I’ve never heard of genuflecting towards the Crucifix except during Holy Week and don’t think it is the corrrect thing to do.

I have gone to a shrine Church in Cleveland that has perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Everybody always kneels on both knees in the center aisle when entering the Church, then they go kneel in their pew on the kneeler. I still do that when I go there, and so does everybody else including young people (teens/kids).

palmas85 is correct in that a double genuflection when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed is no longer prescribed, but most people I notice (myself included) continue to do so anyway.

1. Genuflection in the presence of the blessed sacrament, whether reserved in the tabernacle or exposed for public adoration, is on one knee.
   
   EUCHARISTIAE SACRAMENTUM​

tee

 

[st_lucy]

In general:

We never genuflect to anything, we only genuflect to Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament.

If the tabernacle is present within the same liturgical space, you genuflect towards the tabernacle. If it is located in another room, you do not.

Bowing to the altar or crucifix if the tabernacle is not present.

Simple question / simple answer. Not noting all the special exceptions in the GIRM.

Yes this is what I was always taught. And what I teach my children. We only genuflect to Our Lord. If he is not present than we show our respect to the altar and crucifix by bowing toward them.