Incensing During the Liturgy of the Hours
Date: August 31, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: We are praying lauds and vespers with the Blessed Sacrament exposed on the altar. As written in the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours (No. 261), the altar may be incensed during the Gospel canticle. However, we received a complaint that the celebrant is not supposed to incense the altar when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed on it, but it would be permissible if the Blessed Sacrament is not on the altar, say, but on the retablo. I have not found anything to support this claim. I would like to ask for your opinion on this. — J.S.
Answer: I do not know from what source the person who complained used to base the assertion that it was forbidden to incense the altar during the Liturgy of the Hours during exposition.
As our reader points out, this possibility is already foreseen for a solemn celebration in the General Introduction to the Liturgy of the Hours:
“261. During the Gospel canticle at Lauds and Vespers, the altar may be incensed, and then also the priest and people.”
At no time is any restriction mentioned for when the office is celebrated during exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. For example, the UK bishops’ liturgy office says:
“LITURGY OF THE HOURS
“66. Part of the liturgy of the hours, especially the principal hours, may be celebrated before the blessed sacrament when there is a lengthy period of exposition. This liturgy extends the praise and thanksgiving offered to God in the eucharistic celebration to the several hours of the day; it directs the prayers of the Church to Christ and through him to the Father in the name of the whole world.”
Nor is it to be supposed that the Blessed Sacrament would need to be exposed separate from the altar. Indeed, this would go against the overall principles of exposition itself which shows a marked preference for exposition upon the altar to underline the intimate connection between the reserved host and the altar of sacrifice.
Thus, the Rite of Holy Communion and Eucharistic Worship Outside of Mass says:
“I Relationship Between Exposition and Mass
“51. Exposition of the holy eucharist, either in the ciborium or in the monstrance, is intended to acknowledge Christ’s marvelous presence in the sacrament. Exposition invites us to the spiritual union with him that culminates in sacramental communion. Thus, it fosters very well the worship which is due to Christ in spirit and in truth. This kind of exposition must clearly express the cult of the blessed sacrament in its relationship to the Mass. The plan of the exposition should carefully avoid anything which might somehow obscure the principal desire of Christ in instituting the eucharist, namely, to be with us as food, medicine, and comfort.”
Having established the general principle that there is no overall obstacle to incensing the altar when the Blessed Sacrament is upon it, it remains to see how these rites are affected by the presence of the monstrance.
This was explained by (the recently deceased) Bishop Peter J. Elliott in his book Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite. He deals with the topic on two occasions:
“681. The Liturgy of the Hours, especially Lauds or Vespers, may be celebrated before the Blessed Sacrament exposed, In this case, the celebrant goes to the chair to commence the office, described below in Chapter 12. During the incensation of the altar, the celebrant and deacon(s) genuflect together whenever passing the monstrance. The copes, dalmatics and stoles should be of the color of the day or season, but the humeral veil is white.
“744. At the Magnificat, [during vespers] having prepared incense at the chair, the celebrant and assistants come before the altar, genuflect and kneel while the celebrant incenses the Eucharist. They rise, go up to the altar, genuflect and continue the incensation as usual, and they genuflect together whenever they pass the monstrance.
“745. Clergy and servers should take care not to turn their backs to the monstrance and to maintain a spirit of decorum and prayerful recollection appropriate to the occasion. The final intercessions of Vespers may be made standing before the altar. The final blessing and dismissal are omitted. The eucharistic hymn and incensation of the Host, the prayer and Benediction follow, as described in the previous chapter. Reposition may take place as usual, unless exposition is to continue beyond this liturgical celebration.”
It is quite possible that this double series of genuflections, and the possible complications involved in avoiding giving one’s back to the Blessed Sacrament, might induce many celebrants to skip incensing the altar when the Liturgy of the Hours is celebrated before the Blessed Sacrament exposed, especially if Benediction is to follow immediately after the hour.
However, there is no law or rule that would impede carrying out the rites as described above.
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