Genuflect to the Creche?
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    One of the child theologians in my youth schola asked if it would be all right on Christmas Eve to genuflect towards the creche instead of to the Blessed Sacrament on Christmas Eve.

    I honestly did not know what to say, but I was wondering if anyone has sorted through the rubrics to figure this out for their own parish processions. Perhaps it's a ridiculous question but I wouldn't want to dismiss it out of hand. Any thoughts?
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    This is one of those things that gets all tangled up because of geography. However, I think the Blessed Sacrament always takes precedence.

    I admire someone who's preparing for Christmas Eve on Candlemas.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Yeah right! I'm reviewing last Christmas, Mary Jane. But thanks.

    Here's my musing. On Good Friday, we worship the Cross. What do we mean by that?

    And more on point, what is the creche-honoring ceremonial in the Christmas liturgy?
  • Bruce E. Ford
    Posts: 429
    The veneration of the cross is part of the liturgy, and the genuflections to it are prescribed in the rubrics.

    The crib is not a liturgical appointment, and any devotions connected with it are strictly non-liturgical. There is no authority for paying any attention to it whatever during the course of the liturgy.

    Outside the liturgy people commonly kneel in prayer before the crib. I am not aware that it is customary in any place to genuflect TO it. In the Stations of the Cross people genuflect at "We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you..."; but the genuflection is connected wit the words (like the bow at the incarnatus) and is not an act of reverence to the images on the wall.
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,204
    Correction, please. It may seem subtle, but we do not worship the Cross, we venerate it. Worship belongs to God alone, offered up through Jesus Christ by His people in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Veneration is accorded to the angels and saints along with holy objects which direct our minds and hearts to things of the Kingdom, such as the Cross or relics of saints.

    Honoring the creche is a devotional practice, a means of calling to mind the obedience of Mary and the loving purposes of God in the salvation of mankind, and so the Church sees fit to attach prayers to its veneration as a vehicle for continued grace.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Speaking of processions: aren't people in processions supposed to suspend any normal bowing or genuflecting during the procession?
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Isn't there a blessing for the creche within Mass?
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Book of Blessings, Catholic Book Publishing Company, New York 1989, page 659:

    Chapter 48
    ORDER FOR THE BLESSING OF
    A CHRISTMAS MANGER OR
    NATIVITY SCENE [USA]

    INTRODUCTION

    1541 In its present form the custom of displaying figures depicting the
    birth of Jesus Christ owes its origin to Saint Francis of Assisi who made the
    Christmas creche or manger for Christmas eve of 1223. However, as early as
    the fourth century representations of the nativity of the Lord were painted as
    wall decorations depicting not only the infancy narrative accounts of Christ's
    birth, but also the words of the prophets Isaiah and Habakkuk taken to mean
    that the Messiah would be born in the midst of animals in a manger.

    1542 The blessing of the Christmas manger or nativity scene, according to
    pastoral circumstances, may take place on the Vigil of Christmas or at
    another more suitable time.

    1543 The blessing may be given during a celebration of the word of God,
    during Mass, or even during another service, e.g., a carol service.

    1544 If the manger is set up in the church, it must not be placed in the
    presbyterium    . A place should be chosen that is suitable for prayer and
    devotion and is easily accessible by the faithful.

    1545 When the manger is set up in the home, it is appropriate that it be
    blessed by a parent or another family member; the shorter rite may be used
    for this purpose.

    A form of this rite is also found in Catholic Household Blessings and
    Prayers.

    1546 The blessing may be given by a priest, deacon, or a lay minister.


    And for completeness ...
    http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13431a.htm

    Sanctuary
    The space in the church for the high altar and the clergy. It is variously designated apsis or concha (from the shell-like, hemispherical dome), and since the Middle Ages especially it has been called "choir", from the choir of singers who are here stationed. Other names are presbyterium, concessus chori, tribuna or tribunal, hagion, hasyton, sanctum, sanctuarium.
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