Venerate the cross or crucifix?

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I am uncertain, so I think both cross and crucifix are permitted.

The 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal presented clear requirements for a crucifix, rather than a cross is some situations. Four times is uses the phrase “figure of Christ crucified”.
“308. There is also to be a cross, with the** figure of Christ crucified** upon it, either on the altar or near it, where it is clearly visible to the assembled congregation. It is appropriate that such a cross, which calls to mind for the faithful the saving Passion of the Lord, remain near the altar even outside of liturgical celebrations.”
“122. On reaching the altar, the priest and ministers make a profound bow.
The cross adorned with a figure of Christ crucified and perhaps carried in procession may be placed next to the altar to serve as the altar cross, in which case it ought to be the only cross used; otherwise it is put away in a dignified place.”
“117. … Also on or close to the altar, there is to be a cross with a figure of Christ crucified. The candles and the cross adorned with a figure of Christ crucified may also be carried in the Entrance Procession…”.

However the GIRM also refers to the cross without the figure of Christ crucified, for example:
“49. When they reach the sanctuary, the priest, the deacon, and the ministers reverence the altar with a profound bow. As an expression of veneration, moreover, the priest and deacon then kiss the altar itself; as the occasion suggests, the priest also incenses the cross and the altar.”
“100. In the absence of an instituted acolyte, lay ministers may be deputed to serve at the altar and assist the priest and the deacon; they may carry the cross, the candles, …”

In the ceremony for Good Friday, there is no mention of this “cross with a figure of Christ crucified”. In the unveiling, there is no mention of unveiling the body of Jesus. Instead is has “dextrum brachium Crucis” – which I understand to mean “the right arm of the cross”. (Missale Romanum, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002, ISBN: 8820972719, page 324, n. 15).

It seems like a deliberate decision to leave out “the figure of Christ cruciified” in describing this ceremony. But on the other hand, there is no explicit statement to use a cross rather than a crucifix.
 
Post Vatican Two, it is a cross, often with a relic embedded into it.
 
I watched the Veneration from the Vatican, and the Pope kissed the feet of Christ on the crucifix. In my parish, we do have a large wooden cross available if needed, but both of our priests insisted that we venerate one of two large crucifixes which they each held. It was moving and beautiful.
 
KatieD said:
I watched the Veneration from the Vatican, and the Pope kissed the feet of Christ on the crucifix. In my parish, we do have a large wooden cross available if needed, but both of our priests insisted that we venerate one of two large crucifixes which they each held. It was moving and beautiful.
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Even this as close as it is to what should be done. There should only be ONE cross (read crucifix) for veneration, not two.
 
Danw said:
We had a discussion last night as to the Good Friday liturgy and if it is the cross or the crucifix that is to be venerated. Can anyone point me to where I may find the answer? Comments welcome.
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A bare cross can be used, because the crucifix could convey the wrong message about what we are venerating. When people come up to venerate a crucifix, they tend to kiss the hands or feet of Christ. What does the priest chant while he is unveild the cross? “This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the savior of the world.” We are venerating the cross as the instrument of our salvation. He is not chanting: “These are the hands and feet that were pierced for our redemption.” We are venerating the cross, not the paschal victim. That is why my pastor always uses a large bare cross for Good Friday.
 
Psalm45_9 said:
A bare cross can be used, because the crucifix could convey the wrong message about what we are venerating. When people come up to venerate a crucifix, they tend to kiss the hands or feet of Christ. What does the priest chant while he is unveild the cross? “This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the savior of the world.” We are venerating the cross as the instrument of our salvation. He is not chanting: “These are the hands and feet that were pierced for our redemption.” We are venerating the cross, not the paschal victim. That is why my pastor always uses a large bare cross for Good Friday.
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I already posted a similar message and it was ignored. I think that this thread is kaput…:yawn:
 
revejj2000 said:
  1. The celebration of the Lord’s passion takes place in the afternoon, about 3 o’clock, unless pastoral reasons suggest a later hour. The celebration consists of three parts: liturgy of the word, veneration of the cross, and holy communion.
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Fortunately, we have a 7:00pm service. I am glad that it is allowed for pastoral reasons. We are largely a working class parish and most adults are not given holidays on Good Friday.

BTW - the phrase “This is the Wood of the Cross” does not preclude that the presence of Christ on the Cross. It was/is still wooden when Christ was on the cross. However, if the rubrics say we are to kiss the feet of Jesus, that’s kind of hard with out the body.
 
pnewton said:
Fortunately, we have a 7:00pm service. I am glad that it is allowed for pastoral reasons. We are largely a working class parish and most adults are not given holidays on Good Friday.

BTW - the phrase “This is the Wood of the Cross” does not preclude that the presence of Christ on the Cross. It was/is still wooden when Christ was on the cross. However, if the rubrics say we are to kiss the feet of Jesus, that’s kind of hard with out the body.
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There is no ‘rubric’ on how to venerate the cross…some people may choose to touch it…others to kiss it…others to kneel before it…but there is no rubric that says ‘kiss the feet of the corpus’.
 
frommi said:
There is no ‘rubric’ on how to venerate the cross…some people may choose to touch it…others to kiss it…others to kneel before it…but there is no rubric that says ‘kiss the feet of the corpus’.
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Okay, then let me rephrase. It would be an odd thing that the Missal stated "The “Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described” (for the 1962 Missal) explicetly mentions the people are to kiss “the FEET of the Crucified,” if there were no feet/body.
 
pnewton said:
Okay, then let me rephrase. It would be an odd thing that the Missal stated "The “Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described” (for the 1962 Missal) explicetly mentions the people are to kiss “the FEET of the Crucified,” if there were no feet/body.
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Is there a similar instruction in the 1972 Missal? What of the new GIRM?
 
teachccd said:
I already posted a similar message and it was ignored. I think that this thread is kaput…:yawn:
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Yeah, last year we put out a statue of the dead Lord lying on the ground for Good Friday. One of the women in the pews asked me before the service if we were going to kiss that. I told my pastor, he hit his hand against his forehead. What does he say? “This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the savior of the world.” We are venerating the cross in a paradoxical fashion. The instrument of such an agnoizing death has become the instrument of our salvation. A bear cross can still emphasize the Lord’s passion. We always use a bare cross for this reason, we are venerating the cross itself.
 
My parish has a very large wooden cross (no corpus) that contains what I seem to remember hearing is a relic of the True Cross. I think it is used for veneration, but I didn’t go this year so I don’t know for certain.

Usually most other places I have been that had veneration used a crucifix.
 
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