What Leg should be used to climb the Sanctuary: RIGHT, LEFT or ANY?

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I was 8 years old in 1954. The answer to your question is in the history books, and some summaries can probably be found on line, but it’s too late this evening for me to mess with it. I may take a look in Wiki tomorrow and see where the footnotes lead me . . .

D
 
"purestmoney said:
I am a Lector and in my Parish group, someone raised it that it is not right to climb the sanctuary with the left leg but right you be placed first on the sanctuary, claiming that some Bishops maybe in a seminar or somehow have said so before. Personally, i am never aware of such and i have been a Lector since 2002 but i do not want to argue without fact. Is anyone ever aware of this?
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That someone probably was thinking about a presenter climbing up on the stage. LOL. I learned a bit about some etiquette in public speaking where one trainer spoke about this. If one comes from the left, it would be good to use the right leg to step first then followed by the left. Probably many of us may not know about this.

However, no such rubric applies to lectors or for priests for that matter, as far as I know. Been doing all that and never heard it has become an issue.
 
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It all depends on the number of steps. If there is an odd number, you must start with you right foot; however, if there is an even number of steps, you must start with your left foot, only if you approach the ambo from the left side. If you approach the ambo from the right side, then reverse the order of which foot goes first. This also applies to which hand you use to turn the pages of the Lectionary. First, do not use your feet. When turning the page of the first reading, you must use the hand according to which foot you used first to climb the steps (right or left). For the second reading, you must reverse that order. If you turn the page to the Gospel Reading for the priest, either hand is appropriate, unless you are left-handed. In that case, you are to refrain from turning the page to the Gospel Reading. If the deacon or priest will be approaching the ambo with a Book of the Gospels, be sure to close the Lectionary with your left hand only, do not let your right hand touch it; then, when closed, use both hands to place the Lectionary on the ambo shelf face up if you are right handed or face down if you are left handed.

Gee, these rules are simple. I do not understand why others here did not know this!
 
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I’ve read several histories of the Cold War, memoirs of politicians on both sides, and other books of that kind, but I have never seen yet found a clear and convincing explanation of why that decision was made. In older books they seem to treat it as a mystery that can’t be solved until the archives are opened at some future date, while more recent books seem to dismiss it as an unimportant matter not worth wasting time on. I was hoping that with your specialist background, you might have heard something from an authoritative source.
 
Reuben_J said:
That someone probably was thinking about a presenter climbing up on the stage. LOL. I learned a bit about some etiquette in public speaking where one trainer spoke about this. If one comes from the left, it would be good to use the right leg to step first then followed by the left. Probably many of us may not know about this.

However, no such rubric applies to lectors or for priests for that matter, as far as I know. Been doing all that and never heard it has become an issue.
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Honestly, this very well might be the correct answer!

I can very well see someone (priest or other person) who was trained in theater applying something like this to the mass.
 
no, i never confirmed from any authority but was what a fellow Lector said she was aware of, i will still verify after making exploring all necessary means without link.
 
As it is in regards to most things in life, it’s usually recommended that one always put their best foot forward (regardless which foot that is).

😉
 
rondirect said:
It all depends on the number of steps. If there is an odd number, you must start with you right foot; however, if there is an even number of steps, you must start with your left foot, only if you approach the ambo from the left side. If you approach the ambo from the right side, then reverse the order of which foot goes first. This also applies to which hand you use to turn the pages of the Lectionary. First, do not use your feet. When turning the page of the first reading, you must use the hand according to which foot you used first to climb the steps (right or left). For the second reading, you must reverse that order. If you turn the page to the Gospel Reading for the priest, either hand is appropriate, unless you are left-handed. In that case, you are to refrain from turning the page to the Gospel Reading. If the deacon or priest will be approaching the ambo with a Book of the Gospels, be sure to close the Lectionary with your left hand only, do not let your right hand touch it; then, when closed, use both hands to place the Lectionary on the ambo shelf face up if you are right handed or face down if you are left handed.

Gee, these rules are simple. I do not understand why others here did not know this!
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Thanks. Knowing this, I can now make a plan.

I’m gonna just approach the altar, bow, and then turn around and sit on the bottom step and scoot my way up the steps. 👍
 
I don’t think it makes a bit of difference. Some people have a touch of arthritis in one knee. I do in my right one, so I always lead with my left. It’s stronger.
 
I’ve been trained in theatre and no one has ever told me which foot goes first when climbing up stairs. We are told which foot to step first on when others are marching with us, when dancing, or when some other synchronization is required. We are also told how to stand and which arm to hold things and use to gesture depending on what direction we are facing. Sometimes it feels awkward.

However, the rules of cheating out to the audience should not apply to Mass where the altar is always the focal point.
 
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some sort of symbolism involved in climbing the steps. Read Nothing Superfluous by Rev. James Jackson and you will see a meaning for everything in the church and Mass. I have not found anything in the book yet about climbing the steps so far but it does mention the symbolism of the actual steps leading up to the altar.
The steps leading up to the altar represent three things: the knowledge that will be granted in the Beatific Vision; the sacrifices of the martyrs; and the virtues, as we approach Christ through the virtues: “They go from virtue to virtue” (Psalm 84:7)
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Off topic but the Sacristy…
.where the priest and sacred ministers put on their robes, is the womb of the Blessed Virgin, where Christ put on the robes of humanity. The priest proceeds from the sacristy into the public view as Christ left Mary to be seen in the Temple.
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Like I said, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some sort of symbolism attached to climbing the stairs.
 
Catherinabird said:
I’ve been trained in theatre and no one has ever told me which foot goes first when climbing up stairs. We are told which foot to step first on when others are marching with us, when dancing, or when some other synchronization is required. We are also told how to stand and which arm to hold things and use to gesture depending on what direction we are facing. Sometimes it feels awkward.

However, the rules of cheating out to the audience should not apply to Mass where the altar is always the focal point.
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Yeah, I was not arguing anything. I was simply agreeing with @Reuben_J’s theory regarding why someone might have said this (not agreeing with them regarding which foot to start walking with)

To me, it makes sense that someone at that parish may have learned something about which foot to use first when doing public speaking (not theater).

However, I do agree with you… the focus should be altar, so the only thing that should happen is people being reverent.
 
Sorry if I sounded argumentative, I didn’t mean to! The thought just struck me to share my experience, and I will probably now look up public speaking and footwork. 😁
 
yankeesouth said:
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some sort of symbolism involved in climbing the steps. Read Nothing Superfluous by Rev. James Jackson and you will see a meaning for everything in the church and Mass. I have not found anything in the book yet about climbing the steps so far but it does mention the symbolism of the actual steps leading up to the altar.
The steps leading up to the altar represent three things: the knowledge that will be granted in the Beatific Vision; the sacrifices of the martyrs; and the virtues, as we approach Christ through the virtues: “They go from virtue to virtue” (Psalm 84:7)
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On the other hand, and to paraphrase Sigmund Freud, sometimes a flight of stairs is just a flight of stairs.

D
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