The traditional Roman custom is that if you are holding something, you don't bow your head, regardless of whatever other gesture you may make (the acolyte rules are a little tricky and often poorly observed — this is a reason to use teens and men, not young boys as servers). A crucifer is not ordinarily part of the rite of sung Mass, but where it is custom [I should add that there are occasions where a subdeacon, or the subdeacon carries the cross, like on Candlemas] and at pontifical Mass (especially with the metropolitan cross for an archbishop), the cross-bearer doesn't stop to bow his head. He just keeps walking. However, in the NO, it is pretty widespread to stop and bow one's head.

As do I. All one needs is some small gesture of reference.

What I think is the worst is when candle bears standing on either side of the pulpit try and mark themselves with the sign of the cross at the beginning of the gospel.

I love the idea of candle bears. Beasts and all cattle, praise ye the LORD.

I was a Candle Bear™ at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, where the standards are exceptionally high, as they should be. I would not be crucifer because, while I could easily lift the Crucifix, I could not carry it steady. Reinforcing that instinct was that if you looked up at the back of the silver (?) Crucifix--gift, as I understand it, of a Cathedral in Europe--you could see stamped "1642" or some such. Another crucifer did not make sure it was securely settled in the stand, I am told, and it tipped over. The Crucifix popped off the metal pole, fortunately without serious effect.

The point: getting wax on the floor of the sanctuary would actually have ranked about as high. It never once occurred to me to take my hand off the candle, or tip the candle. We tipped our heads, and made our way to the back.

I myself serve as an EMC even though I have also concluded EMCs are not a good idea exactly to make sure certain things like that don't happen. At St. Matthew's, they made it clear that once you are holding the Precious Body, you do not reverence ANYTHING else. My current pastor is bringing back EMCs after the pandemic, and he held 3 meetings going over the Archdiocesan guidelines before he allowed it to happen. However, before all that, after he figured out what my experience was, he walked over to me once when I was lector as he made his way to the Tabernacle, asked if I was an Extraordinary Minister and then said, "Can you come with me?"

One does what the pastor asks.

Thanks for all your contributions.

Kenneth