What are the origins of genuflection? (Bending your knee in reverence in church)

[mdgspencer]

see What are the origins of genuflection? - Catholic Sentinel

“Genuflection is an abbreviated version of kneeling. Kneeling signifies supplication and adoration. It may also have a penitential meaning, or even be an expression for private prayer.”

This is from the response a priest made when asked “in my parish, some people genuflect and some bow to the tabernacle and some bow and some genuflect to the altar. What is the origin of these two gestures of respect?.."

 

[Rob2]

" At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (Phillipians 2:10)

 

[twf]

Yeah but the more ancient form would be a partial or full prostration, as still practiced in the Eastern Churches.

 

[DarkLight]

My understanding is that the varying forms (genuflection versus prostration) were taken from the local custom with royalty. The customs that people adopted for showing reverence to earthly rulers were then brought into the church.

In the latin rite one is supposed to genuflect towards the tabernacle; however bowing is often used by those who may have difficulty with that.

 

[midori]

Genuflection is a sign of respect (to the altar, to the tabernacle, etc).
If you compare the movement to curtseying towards royalty-- it would make sense that there’s a common ancestor behind the two movements.

 

[AngelaMarie]

In part, so I have been told when it came to genuflection, has to do with knights who would go down on one knee in front of their sovereign because their sword would not allow them to go on both knees, or made it more difficult.

I don’t know if this is true, but it does seem plausible

 

[dochawk]

My understanding is that the varying forms (genuflection versus prostration) were taken from the local custom with royalty. The customs that people adopted for showing reverence to earthly rulers were then brought into the church.

Basically.

Kneeling was practiced as a position of penitence, both East and West, while standing was the position of respect for each. Kneeling on Sunday was actually banned by canon for both.

Then during the medieval period, people started kneeling and genuflecting to sovereigns in the west, the consequence was that the King of Kings was certainly due what was due to earthly kings, and kneeling usurped standing for the position of respect.

How genuflection made it in, I’m not sure. As a wild guess, you kind of need to get up if you kneel and need to be continue to somewhere else . . .

hawk

 

[Seeksadvice]

Ancient orthopedists. It’s a conspiracy.

 

[DaveBj]

I can’t even think of the word “genuflect” without recalling that slightly naughty song from the late '60s, “Vatican Rag”. Anybody else in my shoes?

D