Q: On page 99 of Ars Celebrandi (through which I am gleefully making my way) and elsewhere, you remind us that we should bow our heads at the name of the three Divine Persons. My question is, should we hold the bow through “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” or do we lift our head after “Father”? (Am I being too picky?)
Thank you for sharing your gifts so generously and patiently.
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A: The GIRM does not elaborate, so we’re left to figure out what to do. I think a single bow of the head is intended to show the unity of the Trinity. My guess is that this rubric intends to shadow something I’ve witnessed in liturgies of the Eastern Rites, where people make a profound bow at the mention of the Trinity. That is probably seen as too strong a gesture for us, but including a simpler gesture of respect shows some coherence with the practice in other Rites.