Adoration refers to the external act of worship or honor given to a thing or person of excellence. 1. As an act of religion it is the honor offered to God alone because of His divinity, infinite perfection, supreme dominion over creatures, and the dependence of all creatures upon Him. By this act man fulfills the first precept given by God to Moses (Ex. 20:2-7) and again affirmed by Christ when he declared, “You shall do homage to the Lord your God; him alone shall you adore” (Mt. 4:10). The form of worship is given only to God and is named latria. The greatest act of adoration is sacrifice that is most worthily offered in the Mass. Adoration is internal when we acknowledge God as possessing this divine excellence and our own subjection and intend this acknowledgement and subjection; it is external when we act to manifest our acknowledgement and subjection. It is an act of intellect and will expressed by signs of humility in our bodies.
2. Perpetual adoration is the continuous exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the day and night adoration by persons who take turns as adorers. The object of such worship is usually reparation to God for past or present offenses against Him. The Forty Hours’ Devotion is a plan of such continual adoration. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the highest form of worship, latria (cf. Latria). 3. Adoration of the Cross is an act of veneration that takes place in the ceremonies of Good Friday. 4. Adoration of the Magi is the Worship of the Three Wise Men in recognition of the divinity of the newborn Christ, commemorated on the Feast of Epiphany.