Kneeling at the Consecration
Date: July 6, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: My professor of liturgy at the major seminary is strongly against the attitude of kneeling at the time of consecration during Mass. Other seminarians from other seminaries, however, say that it is rather the ideal time for contemplation, adoration and great respect for Christ who offers himself for us during Mass. So, when I meet a member of the faithful who asks me what exactly to do, I am always in doubt. What to do? — A.M., Burundi
Answer: I would first observe that it is the duty of seminary professors to transmit what the Church teaches and establishes for the liturgy and not their personal opinions.
Professors are perfectly entitled to hold those opinions and even express to their students their reasons for or against a certain practice and their desire that the liturgical norms be changed. However, they should also inculcate into their students a sense of obedience to the Church and her norms until the Church herself sees fit to change them.
It is also incumbent upon the professors to try to explain the Church’s reasons behind any practice so that the students can at least see that they are not arbitrary but rather theologically grounded.
The principal law regarding kneeling in the Mass, and postures in general, is found in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 43.
“They should, however, sit while the readings before the Gospel and the responsorial Psalm are proclaimed and for the Homily and while the Preparation of the Gifts at the Offertory is taking place; and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.
“But they should kneel at the consecration, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after the consecration.
“Nevertheless, it is up to the Conference of Bishops to adapt the gestures and postures described in the Order of Mass to the culture and reasonable traditions of the people. The Conference, however, must make sure that such adaptations correspond to the meaning and character of each part of the celebration. Where it is the practice for the people to remain after the Sanctus until the end of the Eucharistic Prayer and before Communion when the priest says Ecce Agnus Dei(This is the Lamb of God), this practice is laudably retained.
“With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.”
This practice of kneeling during the consecration is customary in the Roman rite. Most Eastern liturgical families have not developed kneeling as a posture during Mass and often remain standing during most of the celebration.
The practice of kneeling, not just during the consecration, but even during the entire Eucharistic Prayer, is foreseen and approved by the Church.
However, since postures can change from one culture to another, No. 43 says the bishops' conference in any given country can propose those changes it considers opportune. For example, if the bishops of Burundi concluded that, in that country, kneeling might be interpreted negatively in the context of this nation's spiritual patrimony, the episcopal conference could ask approval from the Holy See to change the postures used by the faithful during Mass.
Apart from the law, there are many reasons why the practice of kneeling has developed in the Latin Church.
Kneeling has always been present in the Old and New Testaments with a multitude of different meanings, from obedience to Joseph a ruler of Egypt (Genesis 41:43) to supplication to a prophet (I Kings 8:54); reverence toward God as witnessed by Solomon (II Chronicles 6:13); and many more.
We also find many texts of those who kneel in supplication and even adoration toward Jesus in the Gospels; and in the Acts of the Apostles we find Stephen, Peter, Paul and Barnabus kneeling in prayer on distinct occasions. Finally, the great text of Philippians 2:10 says “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
Although kneeling retained all of these meanings in the context of private and monastic prayer during the early Christian centuries, within the Eucharistic celebration, it largely became associated with public penance for those who needed formal reconciliation with the Church for grave sins.
Because of this association with the practice of penitential or impetrative kneeling it was not seen as appropriate for Sunday, which celebrates the Resurrection of Christ. It was therefore forbidden to kneel during Sundays at the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325.
After this, kneeling during the liturgy basically disappeared in the East. Even in the West some practices are influenced by this consideration. For example, when celebrations in which the litany of saints is sung on a Sunday or Eastertide (during ordinations or perpetual professions, for instance), the congregation remains standing.
Practices evolve, however, and over time, in the West, the wealth of meanings attached to kneeling in the Bible led to its gradual reintroduction into the liturgy. This was done above all to reinforce the sense of reverence and adoration. It was logical for people who would respectfully kneel before an earthly king or ruler to use the same gestures before the great mystery of faith.
For these reasons, the other seminarians would be correct in saying that kneeling during the consecration makes it “the ideal time for contemplation, adoration and great respect for Christ who offers himself for us during Mass.” Indeed, kneeling strengthens those very attitudes with a corporal expression of adoration, reverence and awe.
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