Q: I recently submitted a question on this, and you answered that the way you understand the rubrics, all should bow to the altar.
I hate to beat a dead horse, but what rubric and in what publication? I didn’t see anything specific in the Missal.
Blessings to you for your great work,
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A: Ceremonial of Bishops 72 says that people bow to the altar when entering or leaving the sanctuary.
GIRM 275 lists the occasions for a bow, and it never mentions mutual bows between persons—not even between priest and servers during the preparation of the gifts.
From this, I conclude that the ministers who go to the edge of the sanctuary to receive the gifts, taking them in hand, appropriately make a bow to the altar—not to the gift bearers—before entering the sanctuary again.
Almost nobody does it that way, but I think that lends consistency to the gestures at Mass.
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