Saints' Discussion Forums

How Postures and Gestures are used in Catholic Worship

The Catholic Church is rich in tradition and practices that confer uniqueness to us as Catholics and make up our daily lives both as individuals and as a body. I thought it would be nice to go through these practices and discuss them one or two at a time, starting with the best known, the Sign of the Cross and the head bow.
 I will outline how it is done and when it is done and you can contribute whatever else needs to be added /subtracted.

1: Bow of the head
2: Sign of the Cross

How to bow the head
Simply lower your chin toward your throat and hold a moment .

When to bow your head and make the Sign of the Cross
* When you pass by a Church, bow your head and make the Sign of the Cross to honor the Real Presence of Christ in the tabernacle.

* Any time you hear the Name "Jesus".
Men should remove their hats and bow their heads when passing a church or when His Name is spoken; this practice is for both inside and outside of Mass.
 All Catholics bow their heads at these times . Note that if you're having a casual conversation with someone and you pass a church or mention His Name, you are  actually supposed to bow your head and  removing your hat if you are a man.

* Cross yourself and bow the head when the priest and the Crucifer walk down the aisle before and after Mass.
After Mass, as the priest leaves the Altar, it is also customary to pray for him. (Some make a profound bow instead at these times) .

* Not commonly known and practiced: any time you hear "Father, Son, and  "Holy Spirit" mentioned together; any time you hear the name of Mary; and, during Mass, when the name of the Saint in whose honor the Mass is being celebrated

I did not know about this point and I have not been practicing it. Has anyone been bowing the head at the mention of the Holy Trinity, the BVM and during Mass when the name of the Saint of the Day is mentioned?

You might want to add, for those that take Communion in the hand, that we are to bow the head before receiving Communion.

Hello!  I just wanted to mention that many Byzantines, when they enter the church, cross themselves by bowing deeply and reaching the hand down towards the ground, as if they were bringing the floor up to their forehead.  Sort of a substitute prostration I guess.  It looks so very reverent and I wish we all did it.  During Great Lent some actually do prostrations during the penitential vespers, or touch the floor with their hand then make the sign of the cross.  I love some of their traditions.     

Happy St. Francis day to all.   

Does anyone strike the chest during consecration when the bells are rung (if they are)? Is this proper?

I do so during the "I confess"; x 3

As do I.

So, why do we bow?
What is the significance of a bow?
We bow to show reverence and honour to the people we are bowing to or to the signs that represent them.

The Sign of the Cross

"Let us, therefore, not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ; but though another hide it, do thou openly seal it upon thy forehead, that the devils may behold the royal sign and flee trembling far away. Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act."

So do I.

to "cross oneself," "sign oneself," "bless oneself," or "make the sign of the cross" all mean the same thing.
When we make the The Sign of the Cross, we are proclaiming ourselves Christians, followers of Jesus who died on a cross to redeem us.  
 The invocation  said while making The Sign of the Cross are also very significant. We call on the Triune God:
 God the Father, God the Son, and God  the Holy Spirit. This is our Faith.
Making The Sign of the Cross is thus, like witnessing to our Faith and we should never hesitate to do so or be ashamed of it.
It has correctly been said that "To be ashamed of the sign of His Cross is to be ashamed of Him!"

     
I attended Catholic school. Never once, I repeat never once, did we children get told to bow when we heard the name of Mary. Why were we not instructed?

In RCIA we were encouraged to bow our heads at the name of Jesus in order to show reverence to the Holy Name of Jesus.
I do not think it is necessary to bow one's head in reverence to the names of creatures, as the bowing of the head is something done in worship and with fear and reverence before God, not before men.

This is to recognize the True Presence of God in the Tabernacle. Furthermore, Canon Law dictates that whenever passing by the Tabernacle, clergy and faithful are to genuflect.
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).