Did Early Christians Kneel in Prayer?
Early Christians often knelt, bowed, or fell prostrate in prayer as a sign of humility. Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Cyprian all speak this way, and some church rules say not to kneel on the Lord’s Day and during Pentecost because those days were for joy. Bible passages like 1 Kings 8:54 and Matthew 17:14 also fit this pattern. The practice was common, but the exact posture could change by day and setting.
129 early-church witnesses · 184 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about kneeling in prayer?
Early Christian writings teach that kneeling in prayer was a normal act of humility, but not always used on every day. Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Cyprian, and the Apostolic Constitutions all connect prayer with kneeling, bowing, or falling prostrate, and they also tie the Lord’s Day and Pentecost to not kneeling as a sign of resurrection joy.
The Bible passages most often used are Solomon’s prayer in 1 Kings and the man kneeling to Jesus in Matthew, which fit the early Christian practice of bowed prayer. The evidence is broad and strong for prayer kneeling as a common custom, and mixed on timing because some writers say not to kneel on Sundays and during Pentecost. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Kneeling in prayer was a common early Christian practice.
- Some writers said not to kneel on Sundays and during Pentecost.
- Early Christians also used standing, bowing, and prostrate prayer as signs of humility.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians kneel when they prayed?
Several early writers describe kneeling, bowing, or prostrating as a real and fitting posture in prayer. The Bible passages supplied alongside them show the same posture in prayer scenes and support the historical pattern.
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Tertullian, On Prayer Direct teaching
At fasts, moreover, and Stations, no prayer should be made without kneeling, and the remaining customary marks of humility;
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Tertullian, On Prayer Direct teaching
But who would hesitate every day to prostrate himself before God, at least in the first prayer with which we enter on the daylight?
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Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching
31. Moreover, when we stand praying, beloved brothers, we ought to be watchful and earnest with our whole heart, fully focused on our prayers. Let all fleshly and worldly thoughts pass away, and at that time let the soul think of nothing except the very thing it is praying for. For this reason also the priest, as a preface before his prayer, prepares the minds of the brothers by saying, "Lift up your hearts," so that when the people answer, "We lift them up to the Lord," he may be reminded that he himself also ought to think of nothing but the Lord. Let the heart be closed to the adversary, and open to God alone. And let it not allow God's enemy to come near it at the time of prayer. For he often creeps upon us and enters within, and by clever deceit draws our prayers away from God, so that we may have one thing in our heart and another in our voice, when it is not the sound of the voice, but the soul and mind, that ought to be praying to the Lord with a sincere purpose. But what carelessness it is to be distracted and carried away by foolish and profane thoughts when you are praying to the Lord, as if there were anything you should rather think about than that you are speaking wit
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
Rise up, and bow your heads to God through His Christ, and receive the blessings. Let the bishop then add this prayer:—
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Arnobius, Against the Heathen Direct teaching
For we lift up pious minds, and stretch forth our hands in prayer, and do not refuse to draw near wherever you may have summoned us;
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Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Direct teaching
Only Lord and merciful God, send out Your good grace on those who are bowing their necks before Your holy altar and seeking the spiritual gifts that come from You. And bless all of us with every spiritual blessing that cannot be taken from us, You who dwell on high and have regard for lowly things.
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Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Direct teaching
Then the priest prays, bowing.
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Early Liturgies, Liturgy of Adaeus and Maris Direct teaching
He kneels at the altar, and says in secret:—
Did early Christians avoid kneeling on the Lord’s Day or during Pentecost?
Tertullian explicitly says Christians avoided kneeling on the day of the Lord’s Resurrection and during Pentecost, and other supplied sources repeat the same custom. Hippolytus and Peter of Alexandria also present kneeling as omitted on those joy-filled days.
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Tertullian, On Prayer Direct teaching
In the matter of kneeling also, prayer is subject to different practices, because a few people refuse to kneel on the Sabbath. Since this disagreement is especially being examined before the churches, the Lord will give His grace, so that those who disagree may either yield, or else keep their opinion without offending others. We, however, just as we have received, should avoid kneeling—and every posture and duty of anxious care—only on the day of the Lord's Resurrection. We even put off our business, lest we give any place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27 Likewise also in the period of Pentecost, which we mark by the same solemn rejoicing. But who would hesitate to bow down before God every day, at least in the first prayer with which we enter into daylight? Moreover, at fasts and Stations, no prayer should be made without kneeling, and the other customary signs of humility. For then we are not only praying, but also pleading, and making satisfaction to God our Lord. As for times of prayer, nothing at all has been prescribed, except clearly that we should pray at every time and in every place.
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Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
...n feast of Pentecost. That feast points to rest from labor and to joy. For that reason, fasting and kneeling are not appointed for those days. This is a symbol of the great assembly that is kept for future times. There was a shadow of those times in the land of Israel, in the year called Jobel, or Jubilee, among the Hebrews. This is the fiftieth year, and it brings freedom for the slave, release from debt, and similar things. The holy Gospel also knows the forgiveness connected with the number fifty, and with the number related to it and standing beside it, that is, five hundred. For it is not without purpose that we are given there the forgiveness of fifty pence and of five hundred. So then, it was also fitting that the hymns to God, because of the destruction of enemies and in thanksgiving for the goodness of God, should contain not just one group of fifty, but three such groups, for the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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Irenaeus, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenæus Supporting witness
This [custom], of not bending the knee upon Sunday, is a symbol of the resurrection, through which we have been set free, by the grace of Christ, from sins, and from death, which has been put to death under Him.
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Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness
... day of joy, because on it He rose again. On that day, we have also received the custom of not even bowing the knee.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
...dith, by fasting, escaped the insurrection of the ungodly Holofernes and Haman. And David says, "My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh fails for want of oil." You should therefore fast, and ask your petitions of God. We enjoin you to fast every fourth day of the week, and every day of the Preparation, and bestow the surplus of your fast on the needy. On every Sabbath except one, and on every Lord's Day, hold your solemn assemblies and rejoice. For he will be guilty of sin who fasts on the Lord's Day, since it is the day of the resurrection, or during the time of Pentecost, or, in general, who is sad on a festival day to the Lord. For on those days we ought to rejoice, and not to mourn.
Did early Christians kneel especially in fasting, repentance, or urgent prayer?
The supplied sources connect kneeling with fasting, stations, confession, pleading, and urgent prayer for mercy. Several Bible cards also pair prayer with fasting and bowed posture, which fits the same penitential setting.
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1 Kings 8:54 Direct teaching
And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
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Matthew 17:14 Direct teaching
And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying,
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Daniel 6:10 Direct teaching
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
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Acts 9:40 Direct teaching
But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
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Luke 22:41 Direct teaching
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
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Acts 20:36 Direct teaching
And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
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2 Chronicles 6:13 Direct teaching
For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.
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Daniel 10:10 Background
And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
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Ezra 9:5 Background
At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God.
Common Questions
Did early Christians pray on their knees?
Yes. Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Cyprian all describe prayer with bended knees, kneeling, or prostration.
Did early Christians ever avoid kneeling in prayer?
Yes. Tertullian and Peter of Alexandria link the Lord’s Day and Pentecost with not kneeling because those were days of resurrection joy.
What Bible verses were used for kneeling in prayer?
1 Kings 8:54, Matthew 17:14, Acts 9:40, and Daniel 6:10 are among the passages tied to kneeling or bowed prayer.
Source Index for Kneeling in prayer
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 135 ranked source links from 184 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 135 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 129
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 55 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.