Genuflecting/ kneeling in front of the tabernacle at Good Friday?

[qui_est_ce]

OK I’ll give it a try.
No. Not to the empty tabernacle, exactly because it is empty.
However, if you pass the tabernacle that does have the Blessed Sacrament (what we call the place of repose, or tabernacle of repose) then yes. This would be the “temporary tabernacle” to put it into plain English.

It would be the same thing for Good Friday, with regard to the tabernacles, as above.

Entering on Good Friday will be the same. However, when leaving on Good Friday, the Crucifix will be solemnly displayed (when you enter it will still be covered in violet from Thursday evening), and on this particular day we do genuflect to the Crucifix.

Is that confusing enough?

If it’s still confusing, don’t worry. Lifelong Catholics get confused this week. Even priests I made a big one tonight (and no, my lips [and my keyboard] are sealed).

Since you’re asking about vocabulary, you won’t be entering the “sanctuary” on Good Friday, you’ll be entering the nave (or just “the church”). The sanctuary is only the place within the church where the altar is located.

So you don’t do anything upon entering your pew?

Our Alter of Repose is at the side of the church, which I would not pass upon entering or leaving. Should I make it a point to pass it and genuflect before I go to my pew?

Time is running short!! I need to know what to do before 3 PM today!

 

[Phemie]

We used to genuflect on two knees at Benediction when the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in the monstrance. That might have been the tradition for the altar of repose too.

A two-knee genuflection was required whenever the Blessed Sacrament was exposed. But that was discontinued by at least 1973, “Genuflection in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, whether reserved in the tabernacle or exposed for public adoration, is on one knee.” – Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass (De Sacra Communione et de Cultu Mysterii Eucharistici Extra Missam) [1973], n. 84.

I know that Paschale Solemnitatis forbids exposing the Blessed Sacrament after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper but was that always so?

 

[mkoopman]

We did too. I most distinctly remember genuflecting on two knees toward the altar on Good Friday.

Do the altar not always represent Christ as High Priest? Is this similar in identification with the priestly robes on the ordained? Should a significant distinction be made between the sign of the altar and that of the robes worn upon the person of the priest? In what quality do we understand this distinction?

On genuflecting, “Not to the empty tabernacle, exactly because it is empty.” would a ‘habitual’ genuflecting be regarded as a Spinosa genuflection? I decline to say more.

 

[zab]

I appreciate the kind responses to my question. I do understand the rationale, which is why any genuflection on this day baffled me! Possibly this was some local parish tradition, or more likely, the perpetuation of a long standing and well meaning (but incorrect) custom.

I had wondered if perhaps your 90 year old mother may have been confused. I have attended Catholic Churches on the East Coast, the Midwest and now for the past 30+ years in the Pacific Northwest (United States) and I have never seen this custom. But it seems that at least one other person is familiar with a local custom. On another thread, someone else mentioned a custom of going to 7 churches during Lent and another said he went to 7 churches on Good Friday. I have never lived in an area where there was more than two Church nearby, unlike cities like Chicago where there was a Catholic Church every few blocks. My first thought was why visit 7 Catholic Church on Good Friday because Jesus is not there in the tabernacle. But then again, maybe that was the idea- something is missing and the longing for Jesus to return. I will refrain from further commenting on a local custom because I do not know the intent.

 

[Phemie]

No, it has never been a custom to genuflect on two knees on Good Friday. Like the previous poster wrote, it has been the tradition to genuflect on two knees when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the monstrance. When we walk into church on Good Friday, the Blessed Sacrament is not even in the tabernacle so a genuflection would be inappropriate at that time. ** However, at the Good Friday Service, we venerate the cross. In most places that I have been, we kiss the cross but a bow or genuflection is also a proper reverence during this time.**

Per the GIRM, a genuflection is the proper reverence to the Cross on Good Friday. Normally we bow to the Cross and the Altar and genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament.

 

[SMHW]

I seem to remember that we had Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament (where the Blessed Sacrament was exposed) either before or after Stations of the Cross during Lent.

Perhaps some similar memories of Fridays during Lent have become confused with Good Friday?

 

[zab]

Per the GIRM, a genuflection is the proper reverence to the Cross on Good Friday.

I don’t know where you find that in the G.I.R.M. but for my 63 years, from Midwest to the East Coast to the West Coast, the main reverence given to the veneration of the cross on Good Friday has been to kiss the cross. Check out these international google images. google.com/search?q=veneration+of+the+cross+good+friday&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=KUxRU8_KJIakyQHfk4CwBA&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=877

 

[Joshua_Shorter]

From the GIRM


tee

I just want to make sure I’m understanding this correctly. It seems to me that this indicates we are supposed to genuflect towards the Holy Cross during the adoration of the cross, which takes place during the Good Friday service, not necessarily genuflecting towards the cross/crucifix before and after the service, like we would towards a tabernacle during the rest of the year. Am I reading it wrong?

This is a very interesting topic.

 

[Phemie]

I just want to make sure I’m understanding this correctly. It seems to me that this indicates we are supposed to genuflect towards the Holy Cross during the adoration of the cross, which takes place during the Good Friday service, not necessarily genuflecting towards the cross/crucifix before and after the service, like we would towards a tabernacle during the rest of the year. Am I reading it wrong?

This is a very interesting topic.

You genuflect to the Cross anytime between the Veneration and the Vigil.

 

[zab]

I just want to make sure I’m understanding this correctly. It seems to me that this indicates we are supposed to genuflect towards the Holy Cross during the adoration of the cross, which takes place during the Good Friday service, not necessarily genuflecting towards the cross/crucifix before and after the service, like we would towards a tabernacle during the rest of the year. Am I reading it wrong?

This is a very interesting topic.

You may genuflect, bow or kiss the cross. The most common reverence that I have ever seen is to kiss the cross. Here is the quote from the G.I.R.M. for the celebration of our Lord’s Passion on Good Friday. It states that the foot of the cross as well as the right and left arm may be approached and venerated. This obviously is more in reference to kissing the cross than to genuflect. usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-resources/triduum/roman-missal-and-the-good-friday-liturgy.cfm
The personal adoration of the cross is an important feature in this celebration and every effort should be made to achieve it. The rubrics remind us that “only one cross” should be used for adoration. If the numbers are so great that all can not come forward, the priest, after some of the clergy and faithful have adored the cross, can take the cross and stand in the center before the altar. In a few words he invites the people to adore the Cross. He then elevates the cross higher for a brief period of time while the faithful adore it in silence (GF, no. 19). Pastorally, it should be kept in mind that when a sufficiently large cross is used even a large community can reverence it in due time. The foot of the cross as well as the right and left arm can be approached and venerated. Coordination with ushers and planning the flow of people beforehand can allow for this part of the liturgy to be celebrated with decorum and devotion.

 

[Joshua_Shorter]

You genuflect to the Cross anytime between the Veneration and the Vigil.

Can you please show me something in writing that describes that better than the GIRM? It just seems vague to me.

 

[Joshua_Shorter]

You may genuflect, bow or kiss the cross. The most common reverence that I have ever seen is to kiss the cross. Here is the quote from the G.I.R.M. for the celebration of our Lord’s Passion on Good Friday. It states that the foot of the cross as well as the right and left arm may be approached and venerated. This obviously is more in reference to kissing the cross than to genuflect. usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-resources/triduum/roman-missal-and-the-good-friday-liturgy.cfm
The personal adoration of the cross is an important feature in this celebration and every effort should be made to achieve it. The rubrics remind us that “only one cross” should be used for adoration. If the numbers are so great that all can not come forward, the priest, after some of the clergy and faithful have adored the cross, can take the cross and stand in the center before the altar. In a few words he invites the people to adore the Cross. He then elevates the cross higher for a brief period of time while the faithful adore it in silence (GF, no. 19). Pastorally, it should be kept in mind that when a sufficiently large cross is used even a large community can reverence it in due time. The foot of the cross as well as the right and left arm can be approached and venerated. Coordination with ushers and planning the flow of people beforehand can allow for this part of the liturgy to be celebrated with decorum and devotion.

Thank you for this great information. I am not so much concerned with the adoration of the cross, but how to properly genuflect/bow when arriving for and leaving from Church on Good Friday.

 

[zab]

Thank you for this great information. I am not so much concerned with the adoration of the cross, but how to properly genuflect/bow when arriving for and leaving from Church on Good Friday.

You may reverence the cross as long as it is displayed for reverence.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I don’t know where you find that in the G.I.R.M…

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. Source]

 

[petronus]

Shall I genuflect towards the empty tabernacle when entering the church on Good Friday?
Isn’t it kind of pointless when it doesn’t contain Christ, but are empty or do we genuflect towards the altar that day??

We genuflect to the altar .

At the beginning of each Eucharist the priest genuflects to the altar and then kisses the altar . At some Eucharists he will go on to incense the altar .

In some churches there will be a chapel within the church where the Blessed Sacrament is kept in a tabernacle .

Some well-known churches come to mind where there is a separate chapel for the reservation of the Sacrament in a tabernacle .

Amongst these are St.Peter’s Basilica in Rome , Westminster Cathedral in London and the Basilica of Pope St .Pius X in Lourdes .

When the Eucharist is celebrated in these churches the celebrants genuflect to the altar .

There is a long history within the Church with a profound spirituality regarding the altar and its symbolism .

The Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar speaks of the anointing with chrism making the altar a symbol of Christ, who, before all others, is and is called ‘The Anointed One”’; for the Father anointed him with the Holy Spirit and constituted him the High Priest so that on the altar of his body he might offer the sacrifice of his life for the salvation of all .

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says : " The altar, around which the Church is gathered in the celebration of the Eucharist, represents the two aspects of the same mystery: the altar of the sacrifice and the table of the Lord. This is all the more so since the Christian altar is the symbol of Christ himself, present in the midst of the assembly of his faithful, both as the victim offered for our reconciliation and as food from heaven who is giving himself to us. “For what is the altar of Christ if not the image of the Body of Christ?” asks St. Ambrose. He says elsewhere, “The altar represents the body [of Christ] and the Body of Christ is on the altar.” "

So when people genuflect to the altar on Good Friday they are doing what every priest does at Mass .

 

[zab]

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. Source]

Yes, it does state that the genuflection signifies adoration and that adoration of the Holy Cross on Good Friday is one of the places where the genuflection is reserved. But when talking about the proper reverence to the cross during the veneration of the cross on Good Friday, there is the quotethat I posted earlier that mentions that the foot of the cross as well as the right and left arm may also be used for veneration. So if some people on this thread are saying that genuflection is THE proper reverence to be shown on Good Friday, that is not quite right, or at least lacking in regards to decades of tradition. It is also proper to bow or to do as so many people have done throughout the years, even popes, kiss the cross as the sign of reverence.

 

[Joshua_Shorter]

Yes, it does state that the genuflection signifies adoration and that adoration of the Holy Cross on Good Friday is one of the places where the genuflection is reserved. But when talking about the proper reverence to the cross during the veneration of the cross on Good Friday, there is the quote that I posted earlier that mentions that the foot of the cross as well as the right and left arm may also be used for veneration. So if some people on this thread are saying that genuflection is THE proper reverence to be shown on Good Friday, that is not quite right, or at least lacking in regards to decades of tradition. It is also proper to bow or to do as so many people have done throughout the years, even popes, kiss the cross as the sign of reverence.

Zab, not to be too short but you are talking about a portion of the Good Friday service that is different from what everyone else is discussing.

No one has argued that during the portion of the Good Friday service, which takes place during the service, between the liturgy of the Word and the ministry of the sacrament, can be observed in the way you are describing. There are 3 different ways, or a combination of those three, which are appropriate for that portion of the mass.

If you think about you’re saying, you’re saying as people come into the Church, they can kiss the cross before the service starts. If you realize that is what you’re saying, you would realize you’re discussing something different from everyone else. We’re talking about the devotion shown towards the altar/cross/crucifix before and after Good Friday service, not the adoration taking place during the service (as you are)

Please understand that no one is disagreeing with you, you are simply misunderstanding what everyone is discussing.

 

[qui_est_ce]

We genuflect to the altar .

At the beginning of each Eucharist the priest genuflects to the altar and then kisses the altar . At some Eucharists he will go on to incense the altar .

In some churches there will be a chapel within the church where the Blessed Sacrament is kept in a tabernacle .

Some well-known churches come to mind where there is a separate chapel for the reservation of the Sacrament in a tabernacle .

Amongst these are St.Peter’s Basilica in Rome , Westminster Cathedral in London and the Basilica of Pope St .Pius X in Lourdes .

When the Eucharist is celebrated in these churches the celebrants genuflect to the altar .

There is a long history within the Church with a profound spirituality regarding the altar and its symbolism .

The Rite of Dedication of a Church and an Altar speaks of the anointing with chrism making the altar a symbol of Christ, who, before all others, is and is called ‘The Anointed One”’; for the Father anointed him with the Holy Spirit and constituted him the High Priest so that on the altar of his body he might offer the sacrifice of his life for the salvation of all .

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says : " The altar, around which the Church is gathered in the celebration of the Eucharist, represents the two aspects of the same mystery: the altar of the sacrifice and the table of the Lord. This is all the more so since the Christian altar is the symbol of Christ himself, present in the midst of the assembly of his faithful, both as the victim offered for our reconciliation and as food from heaven who is giving himself to us. “For what is the altar of Christ if not the image of the Body of Christ?” asks St. Ambrose. He says elsewhere, “The altar represents the body [of Christ] and the Body of Christ is on the altar.” "

So when people genuflect to the altar on Good Friday they are doing what every priest does at Mass .

Thank you so much for this. We genuflect to the altar when the tabernacle is empty or in a separate chapel. Good Friday is no exception!

WHEW!!

 

[qui_est_ce]

Zab, not to be too short but you are talking about a portion of the Good Friday service that is different from what everyone else is discussing.

No one has argued that during the portion of the Good Friday service, which takes place during the service, between the liturgy of the Word and the ministry of the sacrament, can be observed in the way you are describing. There are 3 different ways, or a combination of those three, which are appropriate for that portion of the mass.

If you think about you’re saying, you’re saying as people come into the Church, they can kiss the cross before the service starts. If you realize that is what you’re saying, you would realize you’re discussing something different from everyone else. We’re talking about the devotion shown towards the altar/cross/crucifix before and after Good Friday service, not the adoration taking place during the service (as you are)

Please understand that no one is disagreeing with you, you are simply misunderstanding what everyone is discussing.

I agree, I found those posts confusing. But I think Petronus gave the correct answer. We genuflect to the altar when there is no Blessed Sacrament present.

 

[Joshua_Shorter]

I agree, I found those posts confusing. But I think Petronus gave the correct answer. We genuflect to the altar when there is no Blessed Sacrament present.

I hate to make it more confusing, but I think Petronus is incorrect. We are not to genuflect towards the altar. Genuflecting is reserved for the Eucharist (whether exposed or in the tabernacle) and for the cross during its veneration between Holy Thursday and Easter Vigil.

Please see this link for more information.

rcbo.org/offices/images/pdfs/worship/Genuflecting%20during%20Mass-2.pdf

EDIT: This is a resource for the Diocese of Orange, CA.