Genuflecting on Good Friday

[lissa70]

Should I genuflect to the tabernacle on Good Friday when I enter or leave the church?

 

[CatholicZ09]

The church document for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter Paschales Solemnitatis states the following:

1. The priest and ministers proceed to the altar in silence and without any singing. If any words of introduction are to be said, they should be pronounced before the ministers enter.

The priest and ministers make a reverence to the altar prostrating themselves. This act of prostration, which is proper to the rite of the day, should be strictly observed, for it signifies both the abasement of “earthly man,”[68] and also the grief and sorrow of the Church.

This, however is for those ministers serving for the Good Friday Liturgy. I don’t know if it gives us an excuse to bow to the tabernacle. Someone told me since Jesus isn’t present in the tabernacle, there is no use for a genuflection or any form of prostration.

 

[Spirithound]

Should I genuflect to the tabernacle on Good Friday when I enter or leave the church?

No. We do not genuflect to the tabernacle as such, but to Jesus, who is in the tabernacle. Since He is not there on Good Friday, we do not genuflect.

 

[blackrobe]

Should I genuflect to the tabernacle on Good Friday when I enter or leave the church?

No. You should genuflect toward the altar of repose, where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. The tabernacle is empty.

AMDG
jsa

 

[Bookcat]

Should I genuflect to the tabernacle on Good Friday when I enter or leave the church?

I assume he is not there right now in your Church…(some have permission for a different arrangement)

so no…

you would bow before the altar as usual when you pass in front of it (if the Tabernacle is there one would genuflect when the Eucharist is there instead)

and from Good Friday until Easter Vigil one genuflects when one passes the Crucifix.

 

[GwenL]

In our cathedral, for today’s Good Friday service, the tabernacle was empty and the large crucifix was covered.

Therefore, we do not genuflect when entering the pew, correct?

 

[LindaSK]

The candle by the Tabernacle should have been extinguished when you came in for your Good Friday service. Our priest also had the doors open. So, no, Jesus was not there. Bow, instead to the Altar. Jesus was in repose off to the right side of our vestibule, so I genuflected toward Him there when I entered the church. Wish I had a dollar for everyone who did genuflect to the empty Tabernacle! Could have filled my gas tank!. And, most were there on Holy Thursday to see Father take Jesus to the back for Adoration. And the Tabernacle doors were open. I also noticed most don’t even look at the Tabernacle when they genuflect. Maybe it has become habit without remembering “Why”?

After Communion, your priest should have returned Jesus to the Tabernacle. So, you should have genuflected to Jesus there when you left , even though your priest may not have re-lit the candle. Father replaced our candle right **after **the service.

 

[Joannm]

after

the service.

After Communion on Good Friday the Blessed Sacrament is not returned to the tabernacle but to the altar of repose. The tabernacle remains empty and the door open. The next time hosts are put back in the Tabernacle is after communion at the Easter Vigil. Yesterday, following communion two servers with candles accompanied the priest and deacon to the chapel where we reposed the Sacrament. The priests genuflected to the cross (a 7 foot one which we had venerated) when they left the sanctuary.

 

[LindaSK]

After Communion on Good Friday the Blessed Sacrament is not returned to the tabernacle but to the altar of repose. The tabernacle remains empty and the door open. The next time hosts are put back in the Tabernacle is after communion at the Easter Vigil. Yesterday, following communion two servers with candles accompanied the priest and deacon to the chapel where we reposed the Sacrament. The priests genuflected to the cross (a 7 foot one which we had venerated) when they left the sanctuary.

I checked our Missal. On Holy Thursday, of course, it specifically describes the taking of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose. The end of the Good Friday service has no mention of it. Our priest put Jesus in the Tabernacle. The Missal makes no mention of retrieving Jesus from the Altar of Repose at the Easter Vigil either. Perhaps the priest has a choice?

ewtn.org/library/Liturgy/zlitur261.htm
*After communion on Good Friday the remaining hosts may only be used for the sick or, on Holy Saturday, as viaticum. These are not returned to the altar of repose but are placed in some other suitable and worthy place that remains locked. For example, if the church has a Blessed Sacrament chapel, then the hosts could be placed there but the chapel should be curtained and inaccessible until after the Easter Vigil Mass. It could also be some other space in the sacristy that can be suitably cordoned off.

After the Good Friday service a temporary altar of repose is usually dismantled and stored away. The flowers which customarily adorn it may be used for the Easter Vigil.*

’ some other suitable and worthy place that remains locked.’ - We are fairly small. The only place we have is our Tabernacle.

A blessed and happy Easter.
Linda

 

[tee_eff_em]

As others have noted, you should genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament when it is reserved.

And on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, you should genuflect to the Holy Cross as noted by the GIRM:

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.

tee

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Should I genuflect to the tabernacle on Good Friday when I enter or leave the church?

No, because the Tabernacle is empty. You genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle not the tabernacle itself.

 

[GwenL]

After Communion, your priest should have returned Jesus to the Tabernacle. So, you should have genuflected to Jesus there when you left , even though your priest may not have re-lit the candle.

No, as per the rubrics, after Good Friday communion, one of the priests took the consecrated hosts back (downstairs) to the Altar of Repose. The tabernacle remained empty and open and the candle unlit.

And on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, you should genuflect to the Holy Cross as noted by the GIRM:

…except, as I said, the crucifix was covered.

After the veneration of the Cross (on Good Friday), the smaller crucifix used for the veneration was left in front of the altar. This crucifix was not present prior to the service. So I understand to genuflect in that direction when leaving. Today (Holy Saturday) I’m going for a morning Rosary and prayer service (LOTH, I think), and if this crucifix is still there, same rules.

But, on entry on Good Friday, there was no crucifix (it was covered) and of course the tabernacle was open and empty (and the candle was not lit). So no genuflection?

Thanks for all of your answers. I’m new at this.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I checked our Missal. On Holy Thursday, of course, it specifically describes the taking of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose. The end of the Good Friday service has no mention of it. Our priest put Jesus in the Tabernacle. The Missal makes no mention of retrieving Jesus from the Altar of Repose at the Easter Vigil either. Perhaps the priest has a choice?

ewtn.org/library/Liturgy/zlitur261.htm
After communion on Good Friday the remaining hosts may only be used for the sick or, on Holy Saturday, as viaticum. These are not returned to the altar of repose but are placed in some other suitable and worthy place that remains locked. For example, if the church has a Blessed Sacrament chapel, then the hosts could be placed there but the chapel should be curtained and inaccessible until after the Easter Vigil Mass. It could also be some other space in the sacristy that can be suitably cordoned off.

After the Good Friday service a temporary altar of repose is usually dismantled and stored away. The flowers which customarily adorn it may be used for the Easter Vigil.

’ some other suitable and worthy place that remains locked.’ - We are fairly small. The only place we have is our Tabernacle.

A blessed and happy Easter.
Linda

We need to understand that after The Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. There should be enough Hosts for Holy Communion on Good Friday. After Holy Communion on Good Friday there should only be a few Hosts in a Pyx, in case of someone dying for Viaticum. The Pastor should secure this Pyx somewhere other than the public area of the church. The Blessed Sacrament is NOT available for public Adoration after midnight on Holy Thursday, until after the Easter Vigil. New Hosts are Consecrated at the Easter Vigil and then placed in the tabernacle and the sanctuary lamp is re-lit.

 

[LindaSK]

We need to understand that after The Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. There should be enough Hosts for Holy Communion on Good Friday. After Holy Communion on Good Friday there should only be a few Hosts in a Pyx, in case of someone dying for Viaticum. The Pastor should secure this Pyx somewhere other than the public area of the church. The Blessed Sacrament is NOT available for public Adoration after midnight on Holy Thursday, until after the Easter Vigil. New Hosts are Consecrated at the Easter Vigil and then placed in the tabernacle and the sanctuary lamp is re-lit.

For our Adoration after Mass on Holy Thursday, which is called for in our Missal, the Blessed Sacrament was not exposed in a Monstrance, but was in a covered ciborium on the Altar of Repose. Is ‘Adoration’ the wrong word if the Blessed Sacrament is not exposed? That is the word our Missal uses.

There are several reasons our priest returned the Blessed Sacrament to the Tabernacle after Communion Good Friday. There were fewer people at church Good Friday than expected, so, perhaps there were more consecrated hosts left than expected. Primarily, though, it may be because our church was robbed twice recently. Both times, the candle money was stolen - cabinet, locked box and all. The last time, someone had even gone in and taken things from the locked Sacristy, which is probably where Father might have placed the Blessed Sacrament. He changed locks on the church and the Sacristy, but, whoever got in before had access to a key, so, I am not sure Father would have trusted to put Jesus anywhere but in the Tabernacle. Just speculating.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

For our Adoration after Mass on Holy Thursday, which is called for in our Missal, the Blessed Sacrament was not exposed in a Monstrance, but was in a covered ciborium on the Altar of Repose. Is ‘Adoration’ the wrong word if the Blessed Sacrament is not exposed? That is the word our Missal uses.

There are several reasons our priest returned the Blessed Sacrament to the Tabernacle after Communion Good Friday. There were fewer people at church Good Friday than expected, so, perhaps there were more consecrated hosts left than expected. Primarily, though, it may be because our church was robbed twice recently. Both times, the candle money was stolen - cabinet, locked box and all. The last time, someone had even gone in and taken things from the locked Sacristy, which is probably where Father might have placed the Blessed Sacrament. He changed locks on the church and the Sacristy, but, whoever got in before had access to a key, so, I am not sure Father would have trusted to put Jesus anywhere but in the Tabernacle. Just speculating.

Adoration is correct from the end of the Mass of the Last Supper to midnight. After that the Blessed Sacrament is not avaliable to the faithful in a public place. I don’t know the specific circumatances so I do not know why your Pastor could not secure the Blessed Sacrament in another location.

 

[Spirithound]

ewtn.org/library/Liturgy/zlitur261.htm
After communion… These are not returned to the altar of repose but are placed in some other suitable and worthy place that remains locked. For example, if the church has a Blessed Sacrament chapel, then the hosts could be placed there but the chapel should be curtained and inaccessible until after the Easter Vigil Mass. It could also be some other space in the sacristy that can be suitably cordoned off.

After the Good Friday service a temporary altar of repose is usually dismantled and stored away. The flowers which customarily adorn it may be used for the Easter Vigil.

’ some other suitable and worthy place that remains locked.’ - We are fairly small. The only place we have is our Tabernacle.

In the few parishes I have attended the Triduum, we have used a makeshift altar in the parish hall until midnight on Holy Thursday, and then I assume Father transferred the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle that is in the sacristy (which I have assumed is there specifically for this purpose), and then, again I assume, that is where he puts the few leftover Hosts after the Good Friday Divine Liturgy.