Genuflecting during Good Friday service?

[Gambera]

What is the correct procedure when entering the church during the Good Friday service as far as genuflecting? Since the taberrnacle is empty, is OK not to genuflect, or do you always genuflect because of the altar? This may be a minor issue on custom, but I get this question by many folks. Some say you should not, other say you still genulfect. What is the answer?

 

[kleary]

In the Mass of the Presanctified if you are entering the church and you are a deacon, sub deacon or lay person you genuflect out of reverence to the High Altar.

Priests would bow and not genuflect because the Blessed Sacrament is not present. (Often it irks me to see in the Novus Ordo priests bowing instead of genuflecting even when the Blessed Sacrament is in the Tabernacle- as if the Tabernacle does not contain Jesus)

Ken

 

[roguejim]

What’s truly kooky is seeing people bow to the table/altar, and ignore the tabernacle.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think I read that one should genuflect to the crucifix on Good Friday, and only on Good Friday. Not sure on that, but think it was in a document with some authority.

 

[markadm]

I think I read that one should genuflect to the crucifix on Good Friday, and only on Good Friday. Not sure on that, but think it was in a document with some authority.

It’s correct. A Priest bows until the cross is present, and then genuflect thereafter.

 

[Phemie]

I think I read that one should genuflect to the crucifix on Good Friday, and only on Good Friday. Not sure on that, but think it was in a document with some authority.

You bow to the altar (since the Tabernacle is empty) and genuflect to the Cross at Veneration. Ideally there would be no cross visible until the veneration, all others having been removed or covered after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

 

[ljprevo]

What’s truly kooky is seeing people bow to the table/altar, and ignore the tabernacle.

What about people who are handicapped and can’t genulfect?

Also this the tabernacle should be at the head of the altar.

 

[tee_eff_em]

I think I read that one should genuflect to the crucifix on Good Friday, and only on Good Friday. Not sure on that, but think it was in a document with some authority.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal

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.

274. Genuflexio, quae fit dextero genu flectendo usque ad terram, adorationem significat; ideoque reservatur Ss.mo Sacramento, et sanctae Cruci inde a sollemni adoratione in Actione liturgica feriae VI in Passione Domini usque ad initium Vigiliae paschalis.

:twocents: Seeing as the ministers prostrate themselves before the altar when they enter for the service, I don’t think it particularly wrong for the faithful to genuflect when they do the same. :twocents:

tee

 

[Sure]

What’s truly kooky is seeing people bow to the table/altar, and ignore the tabernacle.

Assuming the tabernacle is located in the sanctuary, during Mass, priests, deacons, and other ministers should genuflect when entering the sanctuary and leaving it (at the beginning and end of Mass). But during the celebration of Mass, they make a profound bow to the altar (not the tabernacle) when moving within the sanctuary. And of course, they genuflect to the tabernacle when opening or closing it during Mass.