Editing Genuflection (section)

==During the Liturgy==
[[File:Roi Manuel agenouillant.jpg|thumb|left|[[Manuel II of Portugal]] during Missa de Campanha, {{Circa|1910}}]]
The [[General Instruction of the Roman Missal]] lays down the following rules for genuflections during [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]]:<ref name=GIRM/>
<blockquote>
During Mass, three genuflections are made by the priest celebrant: namely, after the showing of the host, after the showing of the chalice, and before Communion. Certain specific features to be observed in a concelebrated Mass are noted in their proper place ''(cf. nos. 210-251)''.

If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the sanctuary, the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from the sanctuary, but not during the celebration of Mass itself.

Otherwise all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession.

Ministers carrying the processional cross or candles bow their heads instead of genuflecting.
</blockquote>

=== Other genuflections===
In the [[Byzantine Rite]], most widely observed in the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], genuflection plays a smaller role and [[prostration]], known as ''[[proskynesis]]'', is much more common. During the holy mystery of reconciliation, however, following confession of sins, the penitent is to genuflect with head bowed before the [[Gospel Book]] or an [[icon]] of Christ as the confessor - either a bishop or a presbyter - formally declares God's forgiveness.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Genuflection or kneeling is prescribed at various points of the [[Roman Rite]] liturgy, such as after the mention of [[Jesus]]' death on the cross in the readings of the Passion during Holy Week.

A right knee genuflection is made during and after the Adoration of the Cross on [[Good Friday]].<ref name=Compass/>

A genuflection is made at the mention of the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|Incarnation]] in the words ''et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto, ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est'' ("and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man") in the [[Creed]] on the solemnities of [[Christmas]] and the [[Annunciation]].<ref name="Schulman">{{cite web |title=Why Do Catholics Do That |url=http://www.hsccatl.com/Growing-in-Faith/Why-Do-Catholics-Do-That |access-date=3 March 2018 |website=Holy Spirit Church |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180814042514/http://www.hsccatl.com/Growing-in-Faith/Why-Do-Catholics-Do-That |archive-date= Aug 14, 2018 }}</ref>

It is common practice that during the recital of the [[Angelus]] prayer, for the lines "And the Word was made flesh/And dwelt among us", those reciting the prayer bow or genuflect.<ref>[http://www.catholiclane.com/promoting-the-angelus-as-an-advent-devotion/ Looney, Edward. "Promoting the Angelus as an Advent Devotion", Catholic Lane, December 01, 2014]</ref>

====Tridentine Mass====
In the [[Tridentine Mass]] this genuflection is made on any day on which the Creed is recited at Mass, as well as at several other points:
* at the words ''et Verbum caro factum est'' ("and the Word became flesh")<ref>{{bibleverse||John|1:1-14}}</ref> in the prologue of the Gospel of John, which is the usual [[Last Gospel]], as well as the Gospel for the third Mass on Christmas.
* at the words ''et procidentes adoraverunt eum'' ("and falling down they adored him") in the Gospel for the Epiphany, Matthew 2:1-12 (which before 1960 was also the Last Gospel of the third Mass on Christmas)
* at the words ''Adiuva nos ...'' during the (identical) Tract said on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in [[Lent]], except on Ember Wednesday. But no genuflection is envisaged when after Septuagesima the same Tract is used in the votive Mass at a time of Mortality (''Missa votiva tempore mortalitatis'')
* at the words ''et procidens adoravit eum'' ("and falling down he adored him") at the end of the Gospel for Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent, John 9:1-38
* at the words ''ut in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur caelestium, terrestrium et infernorum'' ("that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth") in the Epistle ({{bibleverse||Philippians|2:5-11}}) of Palm Sunday, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on 14 September (and also, before 1960, the Feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross on 3 May) and in the Epistle ({{bibleverse||Philippians|2:8-11}}) of the votive Mass of the Passion of the Lord.
* at the words ''[[Veni Sancte Spiritus|Veni, sancte Spiritus]]'' in the Alleluia before the Sequence on Pentecost Sunday and the Octave of Pentecost and in the votive Mass of the Holy Spirit

In the [[Maronite Catholic Church]], there is an evocative ceremony of genuflection on the feast of [[Pentecost]]. The congregation genuflects first on the left knee to [[God the Father]], then on the right knee to [[God the Son]], and finally on both knees to [[Holy Spirit|God the Holy Spirit]].

=== Genuflecting to a bishop ===
From the custom of genuflecting to kings and other nobles arose the custom by which lay people or clergy of lesser rank genuflect to a prelate and kiss his [[ecclesiastical ring|episcopal ring]],<ref>[http://www.reu.org/public/ssbdocs/ssb0003.txt Canons of the Holy Orthodox Church, American Jurisdiction] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220010620/http://www.reu.org/public/ssbdocs/ssb0003.txt |date=February 20, 2009 }}</ref> as a sign of acceptance of the [[bishop]]'s [[Apostolic succession|apostolic authority as representing Christ]] in the local church,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kfoMPgke_YAC&q=%22bishop's+ring%22+kiss&pg=PA36|title=The Catholic Answer Book|first=Peter M. J.|last=Stravinskas|date=3 March 1994|publisher=Our Sunday Visitor|isbn=9780879737375|access-date=3 March 2018|via=Google Books}}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and originally their social position as lords.  Abbots and other senior monastics often received genuflection from their monks and often others.

Genuflecting before ''greater prelates'' (i.e. Bishops in their own dioceses, Metropolitans in their province, Papal Legates in the territory assigned to them, and Cardinals either outside of Rome or in the church assigned to them in Rome) is treated as obligatory in editions of the ''[[Caeremoniale Episcoporum]]'' earlier than that of 1985;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ceremoniaire.net/print/caer_ep/Caeremoniale_Ep-latin.pdf|title=Book 1, chapter XVIII of the 1886 edition|access-date=3 March 2018}}</ref> during [[Liturgy|liturgical]] functions [[Tridentine Mass|according to these prescriptions]], clergy genuflect when passing before such prelates, but an officiating priest and any more junior prelates, canons, etc. substitute a bow of the head and shoulders for the genuflection.<ref name=CE/>

The present Catholic liturgical books exclude genuflecting to a bishop during the liturgy: "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."<ref name="GIRM">{{cite web |title=The General Instruction of the Roman Missal |url=http://www.acbc.catholic.org.au/documents/200707031933.pdf |publisher=Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720091216/http://www.acbc.catholic.org.au/documents/200707031933.pdf |archive-date=20 July 2008 |date=May 2007}}</ref> But outside of the liturgy some continue to genuflect or kneel to kiss a bishop's ring.<ref>[http://dappledphotos.blogspot.com/2005/11/baciamano.html Baciamano] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705134743/http://dappledphotos.blogspot.com/2005/11/baciamano.html |date=July 5, 2007 }}</ref>

Though it is frequently asserted that genuflections are to be made on the left knee when made to merely human authorities,<ref name=Compass>[http://www.thecompassnews.org/2011/03/genuflection-which-knee-is-which/ "Genuflection — which knee is which?", ''The Compass'', March 19, 2011, Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin]</ref> there is no such prescription in any liturgical book.