The action of bowing the head is a simple movement used in many different cultur…
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) explains, โA bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bows: a bow of the head and a bow of the body, also known as a profound bow.โ
Here are several moments during the Mass when those present should bow.
1) ๐ป๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ โ๐ฃ๐๐๐
The Creed is recited by the priest together with the people, with everyone standing. At the words โ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ปโ all make a profound bow. (GIRM 137)
2) ๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐
The faithful should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Holy Holy until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after the consecration. (GIRM 43)
3) ๐น๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ โ๐ ๐๐ช ๐ผ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ โ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐
When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. (GIRM 160)
4) ๐ป๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ค
If a prayer over the people or a solemn formula for the blessing is used, the priest says, โ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฑโ๐ ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด.โ (GIRM 185)
5) ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐พ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฃ ๐ค๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ค
A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated. (GIRM 275)
Source: General Instruction of the Roman Missal