Manual Acts

Any gestures made by the presider or other ministers during a religious service. The term is used specifically to refer to the manual acts required by the rubrics of the BCP during the words of institution in the eucharistic Prayer (e.g., p. 362-363). More extensive manual acts were required by earlier editions of the Prayer Book. Other gestures not mentioned by the rubrics are frequently included, such as raising the bread and wine in offering at the words “we offer you these gifts” (BCP, p. 363).