Bowing Head at Mass

Akita Suggagaki · 2025-11-16T09:07:54-0600

“A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.”

Bowing at the Holy Names | EWTN

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Well, not at my parish. There has never been education or formation on this. Maybe half a dozen people among 500 will bow.

How about yours?

Michie · 2025-11-16T10:54:15-0600

Most of us bow.

RileyG · 2025-11-16T14:19:47-0600

Most do not.

Michie · 2025-11-16T15:04:11-0600

I’ve noticed it at two separate parishes I have attended. *shrug*

chevyontheriver · 2025-11-16T16:27:29-0600

Akita Suggagaki said:
“A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.”

Bowing at the Holy Names | EWTN

EWTN is a global, Catholic Television, Catholic Radio, and Catholic News Network that provides catholic programming and news coverage from around the world.

www.ewtn.com

Well, not at my parish. There has never been education or formation on this. Maybe half a dozen people among 500 will bow.

How about yours?

I noticed this at St. Agnes in St. Paul, MN. They seemed to know how to do it there!

At my current parish they do it wt the mention of the incarnation when reciting the creed. Otherwise not so much.

I think it's a good thing but mostly lost now.

Akita Suggagaki · 2025-11-16T17:16:24-0600

Our parish has been doing the prayer to St. Michael after Mass. I was traveling and surprised to find it at another church out of state. How about yours.

Michie · 2025-11-16T18:12:06-0600

chevyontheriver said:
I noticed this at St. Agnes in St. Paul, MN. They seemed to know how to do it there!

At my current parish they do it wt the mention of the incarnation when reciting the creed. Otherwise not so much.

I think it's a good thing but mostly lost now.

I must be very lucky in the parishes I have attended. Which is nice. I just assumed the majority did it because of my observations.

Michie · 2025-11-16T18:13:00-0600

Akita Suggagaki said:
Our parish has been doing the prayer to St. Michael after Mass. I was traveling and surprised to find it at another church out of state. How about yours.

Here. It’s done here too. Also at another parish out of town I recently attended.

RileyG · 2025-11-16T19:37:06-0600

Akita Suggagaki said:
Our parish has been doing the prayer to St. Michael after Mass. I was traveling and surprised to find it at another church out of state. How about yours.

Same here!

chevyontheriver · 2025-11-16T19:53:22-0600

Akita Suggagaki said:
Our parish has been doing the prayer to St. Michael after Mass. I was traveling and surprised to find it at another church out of state. How about yours.

My old one did it early on. My new parish (five years now) has been doing it before we arrived.

Lady Bug · 2025-11-16T20:18:02-0600

I only bow during that one part of the Nicene Creed. I see some people bowing during a section of the Gloria. There is bowing when one of the altar boys comes to the congregation to wave incense. Hmm. I might be guilty of not bowing at something that I should be, lol. Oh, if I'm second in line in Communion, I bow before I become first in line.

JimR-OCDS · 2025-11-17T08:43:15-0600

We usually bow at the Nicen Creed when we say "
by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man."

Usually, I have seen that in the Church, when the Holy Spirit is said, there is a bow.

RileyG · 2025-11-17T13:47:42-0600

JimR-OCDS said:
We usually bow at the Nicen Creed when we say "
by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man."

Usually, I have seen that in the Church, when the Holy Spirit is said, there is a bow.

Yup. That’s usually the norm wherever I go.

zippy2006 · 2025-11-17T18:05:34-0600

RileyG said:
Yup. That’s usually the norm wherever I go.

According to the GIRM all bow at the mention of the Incarnation in the creed (cf. 137). This is different from what is being discussed in the Zenit piece of the OP, where the subject of the bow is not explicit. McNamara is clear, "With respect to such customs, the above norms of the GIRM say nothing either for or against. Thus, wherever the local custom is for all to make the bow whenever the name of Jesus and Mary are mentioned, nothing in the text of the GIRM would forbid it."

Akita Suggagaki · 2025-11-17T18:20:41-0600

zippy2006 said:
According to the GIRM all bow at the mention of the Incarnation in the creed (cf. 137). This is different from what is being discussed in the Zenit piece of the OP, where the subject of the bow is not explicit. McNamara is clear, "With respect to such customs, the above norms of the GIRM say nothing either for or against. Thus, wherever the local custom is for all to make the bow whenever the name of Jesus and Mary are mentioned, nothing in the text of the GIRM would forbid it."

The GIRM calls for it:
275. A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bows: a bow of the head and a bow of the body.

A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal

zippy2006 · 2025-11-17T19:09:50-0600

Akita Suggagaki said:
The GIRM calls for it

I would suggest reading the article you posted in your OP.

Akita Suggagaki · 2025-11-17T19:51:40-0600

zippy2006 said:
I would suggest reading the article you posted in your OP.

I. Of course, did. What do you believe I am missing?

zippy2006 · 2025-11-17T19:57:03-0600

Akita Suggagaki said:
I. Of course, did. What do you believe I am missing?

So then you understand that the article literally explains why the GIRM does not call for it? I merely quoted the article continuing its argument, "With respect to such customs, the above norms of the GIRM say nothing either for or against..." You responded by saying that this is false.

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