Catholic postures and gestures such as bowing the head, striking the breast, kneeling, and making the sign of the cross are meant to direct worshippers from mundane concerns toward the sacred. Specific gestures are associated with different parts of the Mass as well as expressions of sorrow, humility, and reverence toward religious icons and clergy. Prostrations involve lying flat on the ground in a posture of total humility before God or a crucifix.

1. Catholic Customs and Practices #2
“Postures and Gestures”
Mr. Pablo Cuadra
Religion Class

2. Postures and Gestures
• The Catholic practice of
postures and gestures has
one characteristic:
• The ability to turn people
away from the mundane,
the worldly, the everyday,
and direct them toward the
sacred, the transcendent,
the eternal.

3. When should Catholics bow their heads?
• 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 of
"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.

4. When should Catholics bow their
heads?
• Cross yourself and bow
the head when the priest
and the cross walk down
the aisle before and after
Mass.
• Any time you hear
"Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost (or "Holy Spirit")"
mentioned together.
• Bow your head at solemn
blessings given at Mass
during the dismissal.

5. What is the proper way to bow
one’s head?
• Simply lower your
chin toward your
throat and hold a
moment.

6. What does striking the breast
express?
• Jeremiah. 31:19 "I turn in
repentance...I strike my
breast“.
• This gestures expresses
regret and sorrow for our
sins.
• It is a sign of contrition for
the mistakes of the past
and the sins of the
present.

7. What is the proper way of striking
one’s breast?
• With either a fist or with
the tips of the fingers,
held close together, strike
your chest over the heart.
• This practice has fallen
into disuse in the liturgy
of English speaking
countries.
• It continues to be in use
in the liturgy of other
countries.

8. When are we supposed to strike
our breast?
• Formally, during the mass’
confiteur.
• The Confiteor is a Catholic
prayer in which the person
saying the prayer confesses to
God and the saints that he has
sinned and asks the saints for
intercession.
• Note: In the revised rites
following Vatican II, the prayer
is said in a shortened form.

9. Confiteor
Old Version (Traditional) ICEl Version
I confess to Almighty God, I confess to almighty God,
to blessed Mary ever Virgin, and to you, my brothers and sisters,
to blessed Michael the Archangel, that I have sinned through my own fault,
to blessed John the Baptist, in my thoughts and in my words,
to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in what I have done, and in what
to all the Saints and to you, brothers (and to you I have failed to do.
Father), Therefore I ask the blessed Mary,
that I have sinned exceedingly, ever virgin, all the angels and saints,
in thought, word and deed: and you, my brothers and sisters,
through my fault, to pray for me to the Lord, our God.
through my fault,
through my most grievous fault.
Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary,
ever Virgin,
blessed Michael the Archangel,
blessed John the Baptist,
the holy Apostles Peter and Paul,
all the Saints, and you, brothers (and you Father),
to pray to the Lord our God for me.
Amen.

10. What is the proper way to make a
profound bow?
• Bow at the waist in the manner of
the Japanese (about 30o forward.)

11. What are the occasions for a
profound bow?
• During the part of the Nicene
Creed that says:
“For Us Men and for Our
Salvation, He Came Down from
Heaven.”
• Any time one hears the Trinitarian
formula: Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. This is the practice in the
monastic community.
• Praying before the Holy Icons (if
one is Eastern Catholic).

12. When are we supposed to double
kneel?
• Any time the Blessed
Sacrament is exposed, to
show adoration and
humility.
• During the consecration of
the Eucharist.
• During Confession (If one
is Eastern Catholic)
• During private prayer.

13. When are we supposed to kneel
with the left knee?
• When greeting or leaving the Pope or
other hierarchs with the rank of Bishop
or above and who have jurisdiction
over you (only when the Pope is not
present) -- e.g., to the Bishop or
Archbishop of your diocese, not of a
neighboring diocese.
• During the left-knee genuflection, a
kiss is given to the hierarch's ring.
Then stand.

14. When are we supposed to kneel
with the right knee?
• Genuflect toward the Tabernacle
where the Blessed Sacrament is
reserved.
• Make a genuflection each time
you pass in front of the tabernacle.
(except when you're in procession,
such as standing in line for
Communion, or returning to your
seat afterward).
• Remind yourself when
genuflecting toward the
Tabernacle that you are kneeling
before God. Praying mentally, "My
Lord and My God"

15. What is a prostration?
• Prostrations, are gestures that
signify total humility and
penance.
• Prostrations are made during
the Rite of Ordination, during
rites of religious profession
(i.e., entry into religious
orders).
• Prostration are also made
postures of penance in
religious orders, and by
anyone during private prayer
before a Crucifix or the
Blessed Sacrament.

16. The Kiss of Peace
• Describing the custom of exchanging the greeting of peace at
Mass St. Augustine in the 4th century says, "After the Lord's
Prayer, say 'Peace be with you.' Christians then embrace one
another with a holy kiss. This is the sign of peace."
• In the primitive church at Rome and in the Eastern
Church, the kiss of peace was offered after the first part of the
Mass and before the Eucharistic Prayer. Early baptismal
documents also indicate that the exchange of peace was
reserved only for the 'faithful,' and so catechumens were
dismissed before the Prayer of the Faithful, which was
followed by the Kiss of Peace.
• In the Western Church the sign of peace was moved quite
early to where it is as Augustine described it and where it is
today. The Western Church saw a close link between peace
and communion--peace with one another before receiving the
Prince of Peace.
• In the Middle Ages the laity were excluded from the sign of
peace and it was then dropped altogether from the Mass; the
only remnant of the rite was the action of the priest kissing the
altar. Vatican II restored the ancient rite of peace to all
who participate at mass.
• Custom dictates how the kiss of peace is exchanged in each
country: a handshake, an embrace, words of peace, or other
actions. In Japan, for example, the celebrant bows deeply to
the congregation who in turn bow towards him and then bow
respectfully to one another. It is a sign that works well in their
culture. How the sign of peace is given will vary, but its
meaning remains the same.
Thomas Keevey

17. What is an oran?
• An oran is a solemn posture of
prayer. It designates the act of
supplication.
• To make this posture raise arms
either at your sides and with
hands up to shoulder height, or
raise arms up over your head as a
child would when wanting his
father to pick him up.

18. When are we Catholics supposed
to make use of the orans?
• Priests and bishops perform
this gesture during the Mass.
• Laypeople sometimes adopt
this position during private
prayer.
• It should not be used by the
laity at the Mass. To avoid
interrupting the meaning and
unity of the prescribed rites for
the liturgy.
Early church catacombs

19. Prayer of Humility
by Merry Cardinal del Val, secretary of state to
Pope Saint Pius X
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, From the fear of being
That others may be loved more than I,
Hear me. humiliated, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, O Jesus. That others may be esteemed more than I,
Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
From the desire of being loved, despised, That, in the opinion of the world,
Deliver me, O Jesus. Deliver me, O Jesus. others may increase and I may decrease,
From the desire of being extolled, From the fear of suffering Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Deliver me, O Jesus. rebukes,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus. Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being That others may be praised and I go unnoticed,
From the desire of being praised, calumniated, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Deliver me, O Jesus. Deliver me, O Jesus. That others may be preferred to me in everything,
From the desire of being preferred to others, From the fear of being Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
forgotten, That others may become holier than I,
Deliver me, O Jesus. Deliver me, O Jesus. provided that I may become as holy as I should,
From the desire of being consulted, From the fear of being ridiculed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus.
Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being wronged,
Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being
suspected,
Deliver me, O Jesus.

20. The End