postures and gestures in worship (part 3: the posture of kneeling and the gesture of folding one's hands in prayer)
The attitudes and spiritual intentions associated with standing, as described in part 2, contrast with those of kneeling. But references to kneeling in the Bible are as numerous as those for standing.
References to kneeling
In the first book of Kings, one finds a description of Solomon kneeling at prayer as he dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem: “Now when Solomon finished offering all this prayer and this plea to the Lord, he arose from facing the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched to heaven” (I Kings 8:54).
Another reference in the Hebrew Scriptures is from the book of Psalms: “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker” (Psalm 95:6).
And in the New Testament we find a description of Jesus’ posture while praying in agony at the garden of Gethsemane: “Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed” (Luke 22:41).
At least one Church father, Tertullian, mentioned kneeling. In his Apology, he describes kneeling as a posture that best prepares one for martyrdom: “So then, as we kneel with arms extended to God, let the hooks dig into us, let the crosses suspend us, the fires lick us, the swords cut out throats….the very posture of a Chrstian in prayer makes him ready for every punishment.”
Another reference is found in the Council of Nicea’s canon 20. This canon discouraged kneeling. That the council had to make this ruling indicated that as early as the 4th century, there were worshippers who were kneeling during the Eucharistic celebration. Standing, as seen in the previous part, was the preferred posture at the Eucharist.
Other documents mention kneeling. For instance, the Veronian Sacramentary (6th Century) points to kneeling during some of the prayers during mass as the suitable posture in order to convey the attitude of humility and penitence.
The Gelasian Sacramentary which came out around the 750’s describes the rubrics for the Good Friday service and provides some of the oldest evidence for communal kneeling for supplicatory prayers. Also, an ordo, Ordo XII, compiled in the last decade of the 8th century mentions that kneeling was a matter of course on the weekdays of Lent.
Now, with the Roman Pontificals, compiled during the 12th century, one begins to find references that associate kneeling not only with attitudes of supplication and petition but also with adoration and veneration.
For instance, the Roman Pontificals describe the service for Good Friday with the pope entering barefoot and making a complete prostration three times before the cross. After the third prostration, the pope then kisses the cross, takes it, rises, and sings the antiphon, "Behold the wood of the cross, come let us adore.” At that point, the pontificals say that the clergy and the people kneel.
The rise of the practice of kneeling
Although the posture of the assembly was not altered much until the Council of Trent (as noted earlier, standing was the earlier, traditional posture at the Eucharist), there were several factors that contributed to the rise of the practice of kneeling.
John Leonard and Nathan Mitchell, in their book “The Positions of the Assembly During the Eucharistic Prayer,” mentioned what these factors are. They said that “the rise of allegorical interpretation of the Mass, the silent recitation of the canon, a marked decrease in the frequency of communion, removal of the cup from the laity, a drastic increase in the number of private masses, and a series of debates regarding the real presence of Christ in the Bread and Wine” contributed to the rise of the practice of kneeling at Mass.
The authors add that the era between the 9th and 12th centuries saw an “increase in the popularity of Eucharistic miracle stories.” The devotion of the people to the Eucharist during the 13th century influenced the rise in the use of this posture.
And so, with the Eucharistic devotions becoming popular during that era, combined with other factors that emphasized an interiorized form of prayer---factors such as the inaudible recitation of the canon and the increase in private masses---adopting the posture of kneeling at Mass, especially during the Eucharistic Prayer, became popular.
Praying with hands closed
This rise in more individualized forms of prayer also explains the popularity of the gesture of folding one’s hands in prayer. Uzukwu (same scholar mentioned in part 2) writes that “Compared to the ancient ‘opening out’ of the orans, this new practice of kneeling with folded hands indicated a ‘closing in’ of the person bodily."
Giancarlo Moroni in his book, “My Hands Held Out to You,” describes the joined and folded position of the hands at prayer as an “inner turning toward God.”
And so, the interior devotion and prayer of the era brought on to more popular use not only the habit of kneeling but also the gesture of folded hands.
Spirituality expressed by kneeling
As shown by these references, the spiritual attitude expressed by kneeling includes supplication and petition.
The passages from the Scriptures mentioned earlier such as the one describing Solomon kneeling as he pleaded with God point to this spiritual intention.
Later, the posture acquired the meaning of adoration and veneration which comes from the Eucharistic devotions that emerged between the 9th and 12th centuries.
And therefore, from those centures to our time, kneeling has become the preferred posture during the Eucharistic Prayer.
[Stay tuned for part 4: all about the posture of sitting at worship]
References to kneeling
In the first book of Kings, one finds a description of Solomon kneeling at prayer as he dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem: “Now when Solomon finished offering all this prayer and this plea to the Lord, he arose from facing the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched to heaven” (I Kings 8:54).
Another reference in the Hebrew Scriptures is from the book of Psalms: “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker” (Psalm 95:6).
And in the New Testament we find a description of Jesus’ posture while praying in agony at the garden of Gethsemane: “Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed” (Luke 22:41).
At least one Church father, Tertullian, mentioned kneeling. In his Apology, he describes kneeling as a posture that best prepares one for martyrdom: “So then, as we kneel with arms extended to God, let the hooks dig into us, let the crosses suspend us, the fires lick us, the swords cut out throats….the very posture of a Chrstian in prayer makes him ready for every punishment.”
Another reference is found in the Council of Nicea’s canon 20. This canon discouraged kneeling. That the council had to make this ruling indicated that as early as the 4th century, there were worshippers who were kneeling during the Eucharistic celebration. Standing, as seen in the previous part, was the preferred posture at the Eucharist.
Other documents mention kneeling. For instance, the Veronian Sacramentary (6th Century) points to kneeling during some of the prayers during mass as the suitable posture in order to convey the attitude of humility and penitence.
The Gelasian Sacramentary which came out around the 750’s describes the rubrics for the Good Friday service and provides some of the oldest evidence for communal kneeling for supplicatory prayers. Also, an ordo, Ordo XII, compiled in the last decade of the 8th century mentions that kneeling was a matter of course on the weekdays of Lent.
Now, with the Roman Pontificals, compiled during the 12th century, one begins to find references that associate kneeling not only with attitudes of supplication and petition but also with adoration and veneration.
For instance, the Roman Pontificals describe the service for Good Friday with the pope entering barefoot and making a complete prostration three times before the cross. After the third prostration, the pope then kisses the cross, takes it, rises, and sings the antiphon, "Behold the wood of the cross, come let us adore.” At that point, the pontificals say that the clergy and the people kneel.
The rise of the practice of kneeling
Although the posture of the assembly was not altered much until the Council of Trent (as noted earlier, standing was the earlier, traditional posture at the Eucharist), there were several factors that contributed to the rise of the practice of kneeling.
John Leonard and Nathan Mitchell, in their book “The Positions of the Assembly During the Eucharistic Prayer,” mentioned what these factors are. They said that “the rise of allegorical interpretation of the Mass, the silent recitation of the canon, a marked decrease in the frequency of communion, removal of the cup from the laity, a drastic increase in the number of private masses, and a series of debates regarding the real presence of Christ in the Bread and Wine” contributed to the rise of the practice of kneeling at Mass.
The authors add that the era between the 9th and 12th centuries saw an “increase in the popularity of Eucharistic miracle stories.” The devotion of the people to the Eucharist during the 13th century influenced the rise in the use of this posture.
And so, with the Eucharistic devotions becoming popular during that era, combined with other factors that emphasized an interiorized form of prayer---factors such as the inaudible recitation of the canon and the increase in private masses---adopting the posture of kneeling at Mass, especially during the Eucharistic Prayer, became popular.
Praying with hands closed
This rise in more individualized forms of prayer also explains the popularity of the gesture of folding one’s hands in prayer. Uzukwu (same scholar mentioned in part 2) writes that “Compared to the ancient ‘opening out’ of the orans, this new practice of kneeling with folded hands indicated a ‘closing in’ of the person bodily."
Giancarlo Moroni in his book, “My Hands Held Out to You,” describes the joined and folded position of the hands at prayer as an “inner turning toward God.”
And so, the interior devotion and prayer of the era brought on to more popular use not only the habit of kneeling but also the gesture of folded hands.
Spirituality expressed by kneeling
As shown by these references, the spiritual attitude expressed by kneeling includes supplication and petition.
The passages from the Scriptures mentioned earlier such as the one describing Solomon kneeling as he pleaded with God point to this spiritual intention.
Later, the posture acquired the meaning of adoration and veneration which comes from the Eucharistic devotions that emerged between the 9th and 12th centuries.
And therefore, from those centures to our time, kneeling has become the preferred posture during the Eucharistic Prayer.
[Stay tuned for part 4: all about the posture of sitting at worship]
posted by dixerit at 11:55 AM
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