Monday, August 03, 2009

How to genuflect...

Some things a person has to be taught:

"The ordinary genuflection, that is, on one knee, is made by lowering the right knee without any inclination of the head or body: the right knee must touch the floor near the left heel, unless the genuflection is made on a step."

-Sacrificare, 1946.

3 comments:

Mia said...

And when one genuflects, one is not supposed to sign at the same time.
Don't know the justification of it, but it certainly makes sense in terms of keeping one's balance!

Anonymous said...

and it's amazing how many people do it on the wrong knee!

Clinton said...

I was taught to genuflect before the Blessed Sac-
rament by touching the right knee to the ground,
and when genuflecting to kiss the ring of a bishop to lower onto the left knee. My understanding is
that this underscores the reverence uniquely due
to the Real Presence. Of course, before the Blessed
Sacrament exposed, one 'hits the floor' with both
knees.

That being said, I'm not so often presented to my
bishop that I don't drop onto my right knee on
"autopilot'. D'oh!