Why do altar servers bow to the priest when they wash the priest’s hands before the consecration? 

– Peter in Effingham

Dear Peter, what an excellent question and thank you for bringing it up! During the celebration of the holy Mass, altar servers are often seen bowing to the priest, particularly before and after the ritual washing of the hands (known as the lavabo), and at various points throughout the liturgy. These gestures, though simple, hold deep liturgical and theological significance.

The primary reason altar servers bow to the priest is not to honor the individual as a person, but to show reverence for his sacramental role within the liturgy. Through the sacrament of holy orders, the priest is configured to Christ the High Priest (Christus Caput), and during the celebration of the Eucharist, he acts in persona Christi capitis, that is, in the person of Christ, the Head of the Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1997, §1548). Therefore, when altar servers bow to the priest, they are not offering personal veneration but acknowledging the sacred office he occupies in the Divine Liturgy.

Specifically, during the lavabo (washing of the priest’s hands),which occurs just before the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the priest ritually washes his hands while reciting Psalm 26:6–7: “Lord, wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” This action signifies his desire for interior purification before approaching the altar of sacrifice (General Instruction of the Roman Missal 2011, §76). When the altar server brings the water and towel and bows to the priest, it is a sign of liturgical respect for the sacred moment and the priest’s preparation to handle the sacred species.

Beyond the lavabo, altar servers also bow at other moments of the Mass as prescribed by liturgical norms. These bows, whether deep or simple, express reverence for the sacred mysteries, the Eucharistic action, and the hierarchical structure of the liturgy (GIRM, §273–275). The bow to the priest, especially when he is seated in the presider’s chair or at the altar, reflects the Church’s understanding of ordered ministry and the proper liturgical roles within the Body of Christ.

To conclude, altar servers bow to the priest during the lavabo and other parts of the Mass not out of personal homage, but as a gesture of reverence for the priest’s sacred function and the mystery of Christ made present through him. These actions foster a deeper sense of the sacred, humility, and liturgical order within the celebration of the Eucharist. Blessings!

• Father Aloysius Okechukwu Ndeanaefo, D.Min., is pastor of St. Mary Parish in Paris.