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Postures and Gestures during the Mass
Issue: Why does the Church regulate postures and gestures during the Mass? What are the proper postures and gestures for the faithful during Mass?
Response: The Church provides norms for posture and gesture to preserve the sacred nature of the liturgy and to benefit the faithful. The norms for posture and gesture are laid out in both the Sacramentary and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Those norms are outlined below.
Discussion: The postures and gestures of both the celebrant and the faithful contribute to the "beauty and noble simplicity" of the liturgy. They point to "the true and full meaning of the different parts of the celebration," and foster the participation of all (General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM], no. 42; cf. Vatican II’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, nos. 30, 34).
Uniformity of posture is provided as a sign of unity. "A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the Sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the intention and spiritual attitude of the participants" (GIRM, no. 42).
The GIRM, no. 43, details the normative postures for the faithful during the Mass. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on the Liturgy also published a "posture chart" indicating these norms for posture ("Clarification on the Proper Posture During the Eucharistic Prayer," BCL Newsletter, Sept. 2002).
The following outlines the normative postures for the faithful during the Mass:
Stand from the beginning of Mass (that is, at the beginning of the Entrance chant or while the priest approaches the altar) until the First Reading.
Sit from the First Reading until the Gospel Acclamation (the "Alleluia" chant).
Stand for the Gospel Acclamation. Remain standing until the end of the Gospel.
Sit during the Homily.
Stand from the Profession of Faith until the end of the General Intercessions.
Sit from the Preparation of the Gifts to the completion of Orate, fraters ("Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father").
Stand from the beginning of the peoples’ response ("May the Lord accept the sacrifice . . .") to the beginning of the Sanctus ("Holy, Holy, Holy").
Kneel at the completion of the Sanctus. Remain kneeling until after the "Amen" of the Eucharistic Prayer.
The GIRM allows the faithful to stand or sit "when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason" (no. 43). The Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy stresses that these instances are exceptions and that kneeling is the norm. "The phrase on occasion was specifically chosen by the Bishops in order to establish a uniform posture of kneeling during the Eucharistic Prayer. It is only on exceptional and extraordinary occasions, therefore, and never on a regular basis, that standing during the Eucharistic Prayer is permitted in the dioceses of the United States of America" ("Clarification on the Proper Posture During the Eucharistic Prayer," BCL Newsletter, Sept. 2002).
Stand from the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer until the completion of the Agnus Dei ("Lamb of God").
Kneel from the completion of the Agnus Dei (at, "Behold the Lamb of God…") until the Distribution of Holy Communion.
The GIRM also provides that the diocesan bishop "may determine that the people should stand after the Agnus Dei (at the ‘Behold the Lamb of God . . .’)" (no. 43).
Stand when receiving Holy Communion.
The GIRM, no. 160, states that in the dioceses of the United States the norm for the reception of Holy Communion is standing. However, "communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed by providing the communicant with a catechesis on the reason for the norm."
The communicants, "as a rule, approach in procession" (GIRM, no. 160).
"The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant" (GIRM, no. 160).
Sit or Kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed (GIRM, no. 43).
Stand from the beginning of the Prayer after Communion until the end of Mass.
The GIRM also indicates the normative gestures for the faithful during Mass. When the Entrance chant is concluded, all the faithful are to make the Sign of the Cross: "The priest stands at the chair and, together with the whole gathering, makes the Sign of the Cross" (GIRM, no. 50).
At the Gospel reading, the faithful are to trace the cross with their thumb on their forehead, mouth, and breast: "At the ambo, the priest [or deacon] . . . says, Lectio sancti Evangelii (A reading from the holy gospel), making the sign of the cross with his thumb on the book and on his forehead, mouth, and breast, which everyone else does as well" (GIRM, no. 134, cf. no. 175).
During the Profession of Faith, all are to make a profound bow (a bow of the body) at the words, "By the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man." The GIRM adds, "On the Solemnities of the Annunciation and of the Nativity of the Lord, all genuflect" (GIRM, no. 137).
No particular gesture is prescribed for the Lord’s Prayer.
At the Rite of Peace all are to make an appropriate sign of peace, according to local custom. The Conference of Bishops in each country is to establish the manner of the sign of peace to be given, in accordance with the culture and customs of the peoples (cf. GIRM, no. 82). The sign should express peace, communion, and charity (cf. GIRM, no. 154). "It is, however, appropriate that each person offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a sober manner" (GIRM, no. 82).
When receiving Holy Communion, "the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. . . . When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood" (GIRM, no. 160).
Through obedience to the norms set by the Church, the faithful contribute to the beauty of the liturgy. And by their joyful participation, the faithful more readily direct their minds and hearts toward the sacred mystery of the Mass.
Recommended Reading
Holy Bible (Catholic Edition)
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Documents of Vatican II
Sacrosanctum Concilium
General Instruction of the Roman Missal
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Spirit of the Liturgy
To order, call Benedictus Books toll-free: (888) 316-2640. CUF members receive a 10% discount.
Hahn and Suprenant, eds., Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God
Leon Suprenant and Philip Gray, Faith Facts: Answers to Catholic Questions
Ted Sri, Mystery of the Kingdom: On the Gospel of Matthew
Leon Suprenant, ed., Servants of the Gospel
Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Without a Doubt: Bringing Faith to Life
To order these and other titles, call Emmaus Road toll-free: (800) 398-5470.
Available Faith Facts
Defending Our Rites: Constructively Dealing with Liturgical Abuse
Following Our Bishops
Smells, Bells, and Other Liturgical Odds and Ends
Communion in the Hand: When Did It Start?
Communion under Both Species
Eucharistic Consecration: Kneeling vs. Standing
Genuflecting
Kneeling after Communion
Preparation of the Gifts: When to Stand
Reception of Holy Communion
Self-Communication
© 2005 Catholics United for the Faith
Date created: 1/9/2006
Date edited: 9/26/2007
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