Kiss (liturgy)

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The kiss as a gesture of awe and solidarity has been a rite in Christian liturgy and piety since early Christianity . It is used, among other things, in Holy Mass as a kiss on the altar , as a kiss in the Gospels and as a gesture of peace .

Altar kiss

Altar kiss at the beginning of a concelebration in the Cathedral of Versailles

At the beginning of the Holy Mass, the celebrant , possibly also the concelebrants and deacons , venerate the altar by bowing and touching the altar plate with their lips. At the end of the service there is a kiss on the altar as a farewell gesture. The veneration was related early to Christ, who is symbolized by the altar ( 1 Petr 2,4-8  EU ). Since the Middle Ages, the relics that were walled into the altar plate were also worshiped . The accompanying prayer to the altar kiss Oramus te, Domine , which the priest said in the Roman rite at the altar kiss since 1570 , expressed this: “Lord, we ask you: through the merits of your saints, whose relics rest here, as well of all saints, graciously forgive me all sins. Amen."

The custom of the altar kiss at the beginning and at the end of Holy Mass goes back to the old church . Already in ancient times people kissed the threshold of the temple when entering, as did images of gods and the altar. From the 13th century, the number of kisses on the altar during Holy Mass increased. The priest kissed the altar each time before turning to the congregation with an acclamation ( Dominus vobiscum , Orate fratres ), and also in the Eucharistic prayer with the prayers Teigitur and Supplices .

Since the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council , the number of kisses on the altar has again been limited to the kiss at the beginning of Holy Mass and optionally at the end of it; the accompanying prayer has been omitted. If the altar kiss does not correspond to the “tradition or the feeling of a country”, the responsible bishops' conference can determine a different symbol.

Kiss of Peace (Amplexus)

Kiss of peace between bishop and deacon in a pontifical ministry
Pax table with crucifixion scene (early 16th century)

A holy kiss or a kiss of peace as a sign of the fraternal bond of all those taking part in the divine service was evidently already common in apostolic times at the Lord's Supper (cf. Rom 16.16  EU , 1 Cor 16.20  EU , 2 Cor 13.12  EU ); the Christian community took over the symbol from the Jewish-Hellenistic environment.

The exchange of the kiss of peace in the holy mass ( Latin amplexus `` wrapping around, embracing, embracing '') took place at different points in the course of development: at the beginning of holy mass in connection with the altar kiss, after the end of the word service or before communion . In the Gallic-Franconian liturgy of the Rhenish Messordos around the year 1000, it took place at the beginning of and before Communion. The kiss of peace was soon confined to the clergy among themselves and stylized as an embrace: sinistris genis sibi invicem appropinquantibus ("by bringing their left cheeks closer together"). In the Byzantine liturgy, the greeting of peace between priest and deacon is only indicated by a bow, or fingers or hands are kissed.

To pass on the peace greeting to the community, the priest first kissed the altar and then a pax tablet ( instrumentum pacis , paxillum , from Latin pax , peace '), which was passed on to the believers - separated by sex - for a kiss. Such kiss tablets or "osculators" (from Latin osculari "kiss") made of ivory, wood or metal were adorned with a cross or religious symbols and could also contain a relic ; they had a holder on the back. They have been common in England since the 13th century, can also be found in Rome and the German-speaking area from the 15th century and remained in use until the 18th century, albeit at the end as an honorary privilege for people of higher class or on special festive occasions. "The kiss of peace therefore emanates from the altar and is passed on like a message, even like a gift that comes from the holy of holies [...]."

According to the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council, the shape of the peace sign is determined by the regional bishops' conferences “according to the characteristics and customs of the peoples”. In Central Europe, shaking hands is common, with clerics and religious the ritual hug continues. Even when a bishop is enthroned , the bishops present give each other the kiss of peace; in pontifical acts such as the consecration of a virgin or the dedication of an abbot , the bishop gives the newly consecrated person the kiss of peace; in the case of a profession , all members of the convention give it to the profession as a sign of himself final incorporation into the religious community.

The kiss as a veneration of the gospel book, cross and icons

Kiss of the crucifix in a procession

The kiss of the gospel or lectionary , the book in which the word of God proclaimed in Holy Mass is recorded, came into the Roman rite through Frankish influence in the early Middle Ages. The celebrant kissed it at the beginning of the holy mass in connection with the altar kiss. The kiss of the gospel book by the reading priest or deacon after the gospel has been recited is still part of the Roman Catholic liturgy today, but it can also be replaced by another symbol if necessary.

The kiss of the crucifix is part of the celebration of the passion and death of Christ on Good Friday . After the unveiling of the cross, everyone comes and can worship the cross by kneeling down and kissing. Since the High Middle Ages, at the beginning of Holy Mass, the priest kissed the altar and the evangelist, as well as the cross ; At the end of the Middle Ages, the kiss of the crucifixion took the place at the beginning of the Canon Missae , which had become customary in the Missal in embellishment of the first word of the canon, Te igitur . The kissing of the cross at the beginning of the rosary, which is sometimes common in the region, is part of popular piety . The death cross could be handed to the dying person for a kiss.

In the Orthodox liturgy , when the faithful enter the church, they venerate the icons lying on the icon desks with a kiss. At the end of the liturgy, after the final blessing, the priest hands them the altar cross for a kiss, also at the end of the anointing of myron after baptism. The kissing of the cross and the book of the Gospels is also an element in some Orthodox penance services, of icons for example in the Akathistos . At the church wedding , the bride and groom kiss a small icon before the ritual coronation.

Ring kiss, kiss of relics and objects

The kiss of the bishop's ring while kissing the hand is one of the protocol forms of courtesy towards a bishop that are still possible today, but no longer required . It expresses reverence and obedience.

In the Middle Ages there was a custom for believers to bring offerings to the altar while preparing the offerings for Holy Mass and kiss the maniple or stole of the priest who spoke a word of blessing. This was dropped in Missale Pius' 1570. Regionally, comparable forms of sacrifice by believers remained , such as kissing the hand of the priest, the corporal or the godfather . The kissing of objects and the hand in Holy Mass was abolished by the Second Vatican Council, which demanded "the splendor of noble simplicity" for the rites. (Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium No. 34)

The kiss of relics in a reliquary as a sign of the veneration of saints is a common form of piety, as is the kiss of devotional images , medals and other devotional objects .

literature

  • Franz Joseph Dölger : The altar kiss. In: ders .: Antiquity and Christianity. Volume 2, 1930, pp. 190-221.
  • Sylva Harst: The Kiss in the Religions of the Old World. Approx. 3000 BC Chr. - 381 AD. Lit, Münster 2004, ISBN 3-8258-7600-4 (dissertation University of Bonn 2004).
  • Eduard Nagel : Rite of Peace, Kiss of Peace . In: Walter Kasper (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3. Edition. tape 4 . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1995, Sp. 142 f .
  • Thomas Richter : Paxtafeln and Pacificalia. Studies of form, iconography and liturgical use. VDG publishing house and database for the humanities, Weimar 2003. Digitized

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Andreas Heinz : Altarkuß . In: Walter Kasper (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1993, Sp. 440 .
  2. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann SJ: Missarum Sollemnia. A genetic explanation of the Roman mass. Volume 1, Herder Verlag, Vienna, Freiburg, Basel, 5th edition 1962, p. 406.
  3. ^ Hans Bernhard Meyer : Eucharist. History, theology, pastoral care. Regensburg 1989 (Church service. Handbook of liturgical science, part 4), p. 217 f.
  4. ↑ General Introduction to the Roman Missal (AEM) , Nos. 27, 85, 125.
  5. ↑ a b AEM No. 232.
  6. ^ Andreas Heinz: Amplexus . In: Walter Kasper (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1993, Sp. 541 .
  7. ^ Hans Bernhard Meyer: Eucharist. History, theology, pastoral care. Regensburg 1989 (Church service. Handbook of Liturgical Science, Part 4), pp. 79.121.204 ff.
  8. ↑ Missale Romanum , quoted by: Josef Andreas Jungmann SJ: Missarum Sollemnia. A genetic explanation of the Roman mass. Volume 2, Herder Verlag, Vienna, Freiburg, Basel, 5th edition 1962, p. 408.
  9. ^ Hans-Christoph Schmidt-Lauber: Gestures / Signs, Liturgical. 3.3 The greeting of peace. TRE Volume XIII., P. 134.
  10. ↑ Joseph Braun SJ: Liturgisches Handlexikon. Pustet, Regensburg 1924, p. 185 f.
  11. ↑ Thomas Richter: Pax table . In: Walter Kasper (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . 3. Edition. tape 7 . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1998, Sp. 1535 f .
  12. ^ Hans Bernhard Meyer: Eucharist. History, theology, pastoral care. Regensburg 1989 (Church Service. Handbook of Liturgical Science, Part 4), p. 291, note 51.
  13. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann SJ: Missarum Sollemnia. A genetic explanation of the Roman mass. Volume 2, Herder Verlag, Vienna, Freiburg, Basel, 5th edition 1962, p. 405.
  14. ^ Secretariat of the German Bishops' Conference: Missale Romanum. Editio typica tertia 2002, Basic Order of the Roman Missal Book, preliminary publication for the German Missal Book (3rd edition) (PDF; 545 kB) Working Aids No. 215, Bonn 2007, No. 82.
  15. ^ Annibale Bugnini : The liturgical reform 1948-1975. Testimony and Testament. Herder Verlag, Freiburg-Basel-Vienna 1988, ISBN 3-451-20727-3 , D. 802.
  16. ^ Hans Bernhard Meyer: Eucharist. History, theology, pastoral care. Regensburg 1989 (Church service. Handbook of liturgical science, part 4), p. 203.205.
  17. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann SJ: Missarum Sollemnia. A genetic explanation of the Roman mass. Volume 1, Herder Verlag, Vienna, Freiburg, Basel, 5th edition 1962, p. 404.
  18. ^ Hans Bernhard Meyer: Eucharist. History, theology, pastoral care. Regensburg 1989 (Church service. Handbook of Liturgical Science, Part 4), p. 218; Josef Andreas Jungmann SJ: Missarum Sollemnia. A genetic explanation of the Roman mass. Volume 2, Herder Verlag, Vienna, Freiburg, Basel, 5th edition 1962, p. 23 ff.
  19. ↑ Instruction Inter Oecumenici , September 26, 1964, No. 36 d: "The kiss on the hand and the kiss of objects that are presented or received should be avoided."