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

[qui_est_ce]

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.

More to support you from Catholic.com

It’s hard to answer your question without more information about the situation, but here are the basic principles involved: One is supposed to genuflect whenever one passes before the Blessed Sacrament reposed within a tabernacle (General Instruction of the Roman Missal 233). One is also supposed to give a bow of the body whenever one passes in front of the altar (Ceremonial of Bishops 72).

The former discipline takes precedence over the latter. Thus, if the Blessed Sacrament is in a Tabernacle on or near the altar, one genuflects and does not bow. If there is no tabernacle on or near the altar, or if the tabernacle is empty, one bows to reverence the altar and does not genuflect.

Did not know this.

 

[jarn98]

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.

Confused maybe a possibility but I doubt it. As I waited in line for confession this after noon (long line) I witnessed about 40 people come in (parish is East coast US)- and made the following observations:
approximatley 20 of the people genuflected on 1 knee per usual.
About 5 genuflected on 1 knee for a prolonged time with head bowed and blessed themselves,
another 7 or so kneeled on both knees with head deeply bowed. 3 or 4 stood next to the pew and deeply bowed heads before sitting, and 8-10 people did not genuflect or do anything special.

 

[zab]

From the GIRM
From the GIRM

Quote:
274. 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.


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.

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 understand that it can sometimes it can be a little difficult to follow all of conversations.

 

[DoGodsBidding]

Yes, it’s most likely habit. It even happens to some of us when slipping into our seat at the movies.

 

[Joshua_Shorter]

I’m not sure what you’re trying to prove by this post. The topic was about coming into mass and genuflecting. The GIRM was quoted, which seemed to indicate the portion of the service known as the Adoration of the Holy Cross. Due to the fact that we were not discussing that issue (Adoration of the Holy Cross) but instead the arrival at Good Friday service, I tried to get an answer as to what that section of the GIRM applied.

It was decided that it was not about the Adoration of the Holy Cross but you keep giving everyone appropriate ways to venerate the cross during Adoration of the Holy Cross. They are two very separate topics.

 

[zab]

I’m not sure what you’re trying to prove by this post. The topic was about coming into mass and genuflecting. The GIRM was quoted, which seemed to indicate the portion of the service known as the Adoration of the Holy Cross. Due to the fact that we were not discussing that issue (Adoration of the Holy Cross) but instead the arrival at Good Friday service, I tried to get an answer as to what that section of the GIRM applied.

It was decided that it was not about the Adoration of the Holy Cross but you keep giving everyone appropriate ways to venerate the cross during Adoration of the Holy Cross. They are two very separate topics.

It is another day and the topic was about genuflecting on two knees on
Good Friday. Sorry, I didn’t mean to deflect from the main question.

 

[FrDavid96]

Friends,

People are getting all confused because answers are jumping all over the place. If someone asks about “time A” let’s keep the answer to “time A” and not “time B” or “C” or what happens at Christmas Midnight Mass.

I’m using capital letters to emphasize the time-line.

When we ENTER the Church on Good Friday, the Crucifix is covered in a purple cloth. That’s why there are no rubrics for any gesture toward the Crucifix----it’s covered and it’s supposed to be that way.

After the Crucifix is unveiled things change. We do certain things with and toward the Cross during the service.

AFTER the Good Friday Liturgy, the Crucifix is still displayed (not covered) and that’s why we genuflect toward it when we EXIT the Church. This is an exception to what we do the rest of the year.

Whenever the tabernacle is empty (but especially during the Triduum) we never kneel or genuflect toward it because Our Lord is not housed there. Admittedly, Catholics will do this out of habit, but it’s not proper to do so. We aren’t genuflecting to the tabernacle, but to the Body of Christ within the tabernacle. If there’s no Body of Christ, there is no genuflection.

The Church does not specify any particular act of reverence or posture upon entering the Church on Good Friday. The clergy and servers do make a prostration before the altar at the beginning of the service—but this rubric does not apply to the congregation.

Separately from the issue of entering the Church (which has no particular rubric) whenever we pass in front of a tabernacle (any tabernacle) which does in-fact contain the Blessed Sacrament, we genuflect (there are exceptions in the Missal, but those are off-topic). When we are discussing entering and leaving the church, if we pass in front of a “full” tabernacle, we genuflect. So, if one enters the church and passes the tabernacle of repose (either by happenstance, or by intent) genuflecting is the proper act. If one does not pass said tabernacle, then there is no genuflecting. If one passes an empty tabernacle, there is no genuflecting.

These 3 days can be quite confusing!!!

 

[Phemie]

To review, we bow to the altar on the way in and genuflect to the Cross on the way out.

 

[zab]

The Church does not specify any particular act of reverence or posture upon entering the Church on Good Friday. The clergy and servers do make a prostration before the altar at the beginning of the service—but this rubric does not apply to the congregation.

To review, we bow to the altar on the way in and genuflect to the Cross on the way out.

Well, that is not exactly what Fr. David said, but it can’t hurt.

 

[Phemie]

Well, that is not exactly what Fr. David said, but it can’t hurt.

Fr.'s post wasn’t there when I started writing mine.

 

[zab]

Fr.'s post wasn’t there when I started writing mine.

I was about to give you a big thumb’s up , then I saw Fr. David’s post

 

[felsguy]

When we ENTER the Church on Good Friday, the Crucifix is covered in a purple cloth. That’s why there are no rubrics for any gesture toward the Crucifix----it’s covered and it’s supposed to be that way.

Just in case this this was not or will not be what you encountered at your parish today, veiling of the cross is now left to the discretion of the local pastor.

 

[FrDavid96]

Just in case this this was not or will not be what you encountered at your parish today, veiling of the cross is now left to the discretion of the local pastor.

No. It isn’t. You’re confusing this with something else. Because things are already so confusing here, I’m not going to make things worse by getting into the details.

I know what you’re getting at, and you’re right, but not in this specific context.

 

[felsguy]

Just in case this this was not or will not be what you encountered at your parish today, veiling of the cross is now left to the discretion of the local pastor.

No. It isn’t. You’re confusing this with something else. Because things are already so confusing here, I’m not going to make things worse by getting into the details.

I know what you’re getting at, and you’re right, but not in this specific context.

I think I know now what I misinterpreted and apologize to all for my inaccurate post.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

In our church the tabernacle is in the Adoration Chapel; so every one bows to the altar upon entering or leaving; so they did the same today. The big cross above the altar was not covered.

The processional cross was brought in an unveiled at the appropriate time.

Since the liturgy was led our retired bishop and our pastor, who is his former secretary, I figured that it was above my pay-grade; so just followed their example.

 

[twf]

In my experience, the altar of repose is often within the nave proper, thus genuflecting to the tabernacle of repose is a simple and logical matter. At my former cathedral parish, the altar of repose was constructed out of what is normally the Marian altar, which is just left of the Sanctuary and thus very visible when one enters the church.

 

[zab]

In my experience, the altar of repose is often within the nave proper, thus genuflecting to the tabernacle of repose is a simple and logical matter. At my former cathedral parish, the altar of repose was constructed out of what is normally the Marian altar, which is just left of the Sanctuary and thus very visible when one enters the church.

Public adoration of the Eucharist ceases after midnight on Holy Thursday when the focus is then supposed to be on the Passion of Our Lord. Our pastor comes in at midnight and removes the Eucharist from the altar of repose to take to another secure place out of public site.