Genuflections Toward the Tabernacle
Date: October 12, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: I am coordinator of our parish choir. Our parish priest told us that when communion ends at Mass and they take the ciborium to the tabernacle to reserve it, we should not accompany the ciborium with our eyes and then genuflect as the minister does when he returns the Eucharist in the tabernacle. Is that so? — C.M., Buenos Aires, Argentina
Answer: The parish priest is basically correct.
The basic rules for genuflection can be found in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM):
“274. A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil. During Mass, three genuflections are made by the Priest Celebrant: namely, after the elevation of the host, after the elevation of the chalice, and before Communion. Certain specific features to be observed in a concelebrated Mass are noted in their proper place (cf. nos. 210-251). If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is situated in the sanctuary, the Priest, the Deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the celebration of Mass itself. Otherwise, all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession. Ministers carrying the processional cross or candles bow their heads instead of genuflecting.”
The principal reason as to why genuflections toward the tabernacle are limited during Mass is because the Church wishes to emphasize that, during the celebration, the center of attention is the altar of sacrifice and the actualization of Christ’s saving mystery. As the U.S. bishops’ conference document Built of Living Stones recalls:
"§56 At the Eucharist, the liturgical assembly celebrates the ritual sacrificial meal that recalls and makes present Christ's life, death, and resurrection, proclaiming 'the death of the Lord until he comes.' The altar is 'the center of thanksgiving that the Eucharist accomplishes' and the point around which the other rites are in some manner arrayed. Since the Church teaches that 'the altar is Christ,' its composition should reflect the nobility, beauty, strength, and simplicity of the One it represents. In new churches there is to be only one altar so that it 'signifies to the assembly of the faithful one Christ and the one Eucharist of the Church.'
Hence, the tabernacle with the reserved Eucharist is not a center of attention during the Eucharistic celebration even though it should have a prominent and even central place in the church building for adoration outside of Mass.
Another possible reason for this limitation on genuflection toward the reservation is because the Church prefers that, as far as possible, the faithful at communion receive hosts consecrated during the Mass rather than making habitual use of the reserved hosts. Thus, GIRM 85 says:
“It is most desirable that the faithful, just as the Priest himself is bound to do, receive the Lord’s Body from hosts consecrated at the same Mass and that, in the cases where this is foreseen, they partake of the chalice (cf. no. 283), so that even by means of the signs Communion may stand out more clearly as a participation in the sacrifice actually
being celebrated.”
Likewise, the liturgical books foresee no special ceremonies or precise rubrics for these moments of the celebration. The GIRM says:
“163. When the distribution of Communion is over, the Priest himself immediately and completely consumes at the altar any consecrated wine that happens to remain; as for any consecrated hosts that are left, he either consumes them at the altar or carries them to the place designated for the reservation of the Eucharist.”
It is presumed that the deacon would do this if present. As can be seen, no special ceremonies are foreseen at this moment of reservation.
An extraordinary minister of communion should neither bring the hosts from the tabernacle nor return them after communion as this is reserved to either priest or deacon. The norms clearly indicate that the extraordinary minister always receives the vessels from the hands of the priest.
This is why the parish priest, and I think correctly, advised those present at Mass not to follow the ciborium and genuflect along with the minister as he closes the tabernacle. The sacrifice is still being celebrated, and the center of attention is still the celebration, not the reserved hosts.
Nothing is said regarding genuflections at the tabernacle while carrying out these tasks. There are probably several reasons for the lack of precise rubrics, not least among them being a deliberate desire on the part of the Church to move away from excessively detailed prescriptions and to avoid favoring a spirituality that might equate authentic devotion with ritual precision.
Some liturgists say that the general rule cited above precludes all genuflections during Mass, even those on taking or replacing the ciborium in the tabernacle.
Others defend the practice arguing that the overarching principle is that a genuflection is made whenever the tabernacle is opened or closed after having reposed the Blessed Sacrament. This genuflection would always be made when exposing the Blessed Sacrament or during a communion service outside of Mass.
I personally favor a mixed practice, depending also on where the tabernacle is located. The above general rule regarding omitting genuflections toward the tabernacle during the celebration of Mass except at the beginning and end does not address this situation and refers more to movements in the sanctuary area.
I think that, when the tabernacle is located close to the altar, the genuflection should be omitted if hosts are taken immediately before communion. This would not be in virtue of GIRM, No. 274, but because Christ is already really present just a few paces away upon the altar. Even in this case, the genuflection should be made before closing the tabernacle door when the ciborium is replaced there after communion.
When the tabernacle is located in a separate chapel, I would say that the usual genuflections should be made by the minister.
Another case of genuflection during Mass is when the torch bearers and thurifer leave the sanctuary after the doxology of the Eucharistic Prayer. In this case they do not genuflect toward the tabernacle but toward Christ really present upon the altar.
Apart from this, our reader’s pastor is correct in forming his people to center their attention on the moment of celebration and in giving thanks for being able to fully participate in Christ’s sacrifice through holy communion.
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