How to Perform Eucharistic Adoration

Eucharistic adoration is a method of worshiping of Christ in the form of a consecrated Host.

Instructions

1. Catholics believe that when the wine and bread are consecrated at mass they truly become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Some Catholics like to also worship in the Presence of the Eucharistic Lord outside mass. There are two ways to do this: 1) by adoring the Host while it is locked in a tabernacle, and 2) by adoring it when it is displayed in a vessel called a monstrance. A monstrance is a metal vessel, often made of gold. It usually looks like a sunburst built on an elevated stand. It has a circular glass window in its center where the consecrated Host is displayed.

2. Adoration of an exposed Host often takes place in a special chapel reserved for that purpose. Some churches have adoration scheduled for a few hours a week, while others have perpetual adoration around the clock. In the case of perpetual adoration, great pains are taken to ensure that at least one person is in the chapel every hour, so the Host will not be left alone.

3. Worshipers are on their best behavior in the adoration chapel, taking great care to be silent and reverential, so as not to disturb the other worshipers. If children are unable to sit still and be quiet it's not a good idea to bring them along.

4. Worshipers often bring prayers books or other devotional reading material with them, but chapels usually have a table of religious books outside the chapel that worshipers can borrow. Some of these books outline a structured form of prayers to be made during adoration, but there is no one proper form format for adoration.

5. The usual procedure for adoration is that outside the adoration chapel the worshiper signs a guest book that notes the time of arrival and departure. Upon entering the worshiper crosses himself and either genuflects before the Host, or in some cases, prostrates himself on the floor, depending on his taste. The worshiper then takes a seat and performs private devotions. Normally worshipers pray the rosary at some point during the adoration. Some worshipers chose to gaze silently upon the Host. Devotions can take place seated or kneeling.

6. Most worshipers stay in the chapel at least an hour, the so-called "Holy hour," in honor of the hour that Christ asked his disciples to watch with Him during His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. When their adoration is over, they genuflect or prostrate themselves again, cross themselves, leave the Presence, then sign out in the guest book.