Let us recall Christ our Saviour’s humble yet triumphal entrance to Jerusalem and the Temple, with the disciples and the people praising He who comes in the name of the Lord, who is saving us now, Hosanna in the highest (Matthew 21, and see Psalm 118).

The procession makes its way to the sanctuary of the church, recalling our earthly pilgrimage toward heaven, ascending the raised mount of the sanctuary as Christ ascended Mount Calvary to offer His Sacrifice (See 2 Corinthians 2:14; Sacrosanctum Concilium §8; CCC§1090).

Everyone who is able stand for the Entrance Antiphon, the procession, through the Introductory Rites, and until the offering of the Collect prayer to God that expresses the intention of the Mass (see GIRM 120-123, 171-174, and 210-211).

Two candlebearers light the way for the light of Christ depicted on the processional Cross, the image of Jesus Crucified facing forward.
Other servers and ministers follow behind the candles and Cross.
If there is a deacon holding the Gospel Book, he walks directly before the priest celebrant.
The priest, vested in stole and chasuble, trails the procession, with hands folded.

A reverent gesture is made upon arrival at the sanctuary, except for those carrying liturgical objects, who simply bow their heads before proceeding to set their cross, candles, and books in the sanctuary (GIRM 274, 118, 122, and 308).

If the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle in the sanctuary, proper reverence is to genuflect on the right knee, facing the tabernacle.

Otherwise, the Altar is reverenced with a profound bow from the waist.

Then the priest and deacon approach and reverence the Altar with a kiss.
The priest stands at the middle of the Altar, places both hands flat upon the Altar, and then lightly touches the Altar with closed lips, before joining his hands again upon rising.

The Altar is thus reverenced because it is anointed with sacred Chrism, consecrated for Christ’s Sacrifice made eternally present in the Eucharist. Relics of saints may be set into the Altar, a resting place for witnesses to the Word of God and His Sacrifice for our redemption (see Revelation 6:9, and GIRM 302). The priest unites himself to Christ, the cornerstone, in the presence of God, and His angels, and the communion of saints, in reverencing the Altar as alter Christus.

With the conclusion of the entrance procession, all take their places for the Introductory Rites (GIRM IIIA).