The question of why kiss a priest’s hand and whether it is necessary to do so is one of the most pressing for those who began attending church services as an adult and are not particularly versed in the nuances of various rituals.
People often believe that touching the hand of a priest is an expression of gratitude, a sign of respect and even some veneration. However, this is not a complete picture. Touching hands with lips certainly expresses all these feelings, but it, like kissing the cross, also carries another meaning.
How did this tradition begin?
The tradition of kissing hands is older than Christianity and is associated with the customs of biblical times. At that time, kissing was a special form of greeting. Touching the hand expressed a special attitude towards the meeting, emphasizing its importance and the feelings experienced. Only very dear and respected people were greeted this way. For example, a son could meet his father in this way, a wife could meet her husband. A spiritual leader, a sage or a prophet could be greeted in a similar way.
At that time, this greeting did not look like the usual kiss on the hand, accepted in modern society or performed at religious services. The man leaned over his hand, took it in his palms, touched it with his lips and ran it across his forehead. This action is repeatedly described in the pages of the Old Testament.
What does it mean if a guy touches other places with his lips?
It’s not clear, what does it mean if he touched the eyes, the edge of the lips, the head? Below we will tell you what psychologists say on this topic:
- The place a man chooses can tell a lot about his attitude. If he kisses you on the top of your head or forehead, it means he considers himself a patron. He sees you as a person who needs to be taken care of, which is what he plans to do. If this is the temporal part of the head, there is no clear definition. He undoubtedly expresses tenderness, but with more overt, sexual overtones;
- The back is desire, the desire to get something more. There is an erogenous zone along the spine on the back, knowing this the partner expects to receive a response;
- Lips - despite the fact that we are used to thinking about passion, touching lips means love. A person is in love, he is not waiting for an answer from you at the moment, he is simply expressing his emotions. Of course, a lot depends on how this happens. When there is light biting, the conversation is different, in this case we are talking about open flirting;
- Eyes - psychologists believe that if a guy touches his eyes with his lips, he demonstrates trust and a desire to be together. This type of affection shows interest in a long-term union.
How did this tradition appear in Christianity? What did it mean?
The first Christians did not raise the question of why they should kiss the priest’s hand. At that historical moment, it was a common greeting, the same as a handshake in our time. Of course, not everyone greeted everyone this way when they met, but even today not everyone shakes hands or hugs.
However, the first Christians put into it not only the traditional meaning, which consisted in expressing the special feelings of the greeter and indicating the importance of the meeting. On the pages of the New Testament, in the fifth chapter of the first letter to the Thessalonians, it is said: “Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.” It would seem that we are talking about showing politeness towards fellow believers. Meanwhile, the meaning of this phrase is slightly different.
In this way, the first Christians not only distinguished their coreligionists from others, but also recognized them. That is, the greeting served as a kind of code, a cipher. If the one who greeted first was mistaken, then one could always claim to have followed the ancient Jewish custom of showing respect. But if a person correctly guessed that this was a fellow believer, he received such a greeting. This is the opinion of many researchers of the history of the formation of Christianity as a religion.
How to eat prosphora correctly?
Prosphora is a symbol of the Body of Christ. In addition, during the Divine Liturgy, bread under the guise of prosphora turns, in fact, into the Body of Christ, and wine into His Blood. You can read about the symbolism of prosphora and what it generally means in the article “What is prosphora?” Today I will briefly talk about when and how to eat (use) it correctly.
According to Orthodox custom, prosphora is usually eaten on an empty stomach, without taking food beforehand. They wash down the prosphora with holy water, maybe even Epiphany water. The prosphora is also accepted by those Orthodox Christians who received communion during the Liturgy, immediately after it. Pious people keep prosphora at home, because they know that by eating it during a serious illness with holy water they can receive healing.
According to legend, this can also replace the last Communion in the absence of a priest in the last minutes of life. In any case, accepting prosphora and holy water instills in us the Grace of the Lord. Therefore, you should treat this carefully and with attention. There is also a prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water, which can be found in the prayer book and on Orthodox resources. It is also advisable to read it when appropriate.
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What is the significance of kissing the hand of a clergyman? When should this be done?
However, the days of early Christianity are long gone. Why kiss the priest’s hand now, especially if the parishioner is seeing this person for the first and last time in his life? Kissing a hand in Christianity means many things, including the manifestation of gratitude, respect, humility and love in the broad sense of the word.
Understanding why you should kiss a priest's hand is not so difficult if you take into account when it should be done. The clergyman’s hand is touched when he gives a cross or blesses. That is, kissing in this case has a special spiritual and moral meaning, different from showing gratitude or a warm greeting. Through the actions of a clergyman, a person receives grace sent by the Lord. Accordingly, he touches the right hand of the Lord, which sends this grace.
Orthodox Life
Priest Valentin Makarov explains.
The Lord created man in such a way that each of his organs or parts of the body has, as a rule, two functions: practical and sacred. The head contains the brain, as the main vital organ of the whole organism, and all the sense organs, but the head is also the highest part of the body from the ground, and it is commanded to be covered or open during prayer, otherwise a person disgraces his head.
For a cardiologist, the heart is a muscle pump that must work flawlessly like the engine of a German car or like a Swiss watch. But we also mention the heart as the center of the sensory side of human life, which can cry and hurt, be stony and cold, contrite and humble; moreover, the language of Holy Scripture speaks of the possibility of having a “circumcised” heart. The eye can water from dust or an insult, but it can also tempt the whole person to destruction or be a bearer of a log. The legs, arms and all parts of the body also have their own dual characteristics. The great prophet Elijah, denouncing the entire people, uses the image of spiritual lameness, and on both knees at once.
Likewise, the lips have a sacred function - to kiss, or in modern language - to kiss. Through the mouth of one of the disciples the Teacher was put to death, by whose wounds we were healed. By touching the lips of a hot coal, another great prophet Isaiah was once purified, for the sake of the same struggle with idols. With our lips we express love for our loved ones, with our lips a mother touches her sick child, believing that this touch will ease his illness. From the contact of lips, under the veil of marriage, a new life can be born.
In our church, before the beginning of the singing of the Creed, all worshipers give each other a “Holy kiss.” Indeed, how mysterious and reverent it all is. Is there really no room left in our church life to give Christ Himself a kiss? And not like Judas, whom we always mention before Communion, so as not to repeat that treacherous kiss, but as faithful followers of the other disciples, once gathered at one meal. Since the priest, first of all, is called upon to repeat with his hands and lips this meal that took place once, then he too is worthy of a kiss. And honor is given not so much to him personally as to the holy order itself, along with the prefix word “father” or “father.” As far as I know, such a problem does not exist within the Church. It is more typical for beginners. Therefore, you can kiss not necessarily the hand, but the armband - part of the priestly clothing that is worn on the wrist.
And the last thing that can be said regarding kissing is “decorating” the lips with all sorts of lipsticks. In addition to the practical smearing of icons, clothing, and other sacred objects with animal fat, there is also an allegorical meaning. Applying lipstick symbolizes covering your lips with something external. This is a screen, a mask that hides your true intentions. And it turns out that you touch with crafty and deceitful lips, and do not communicate a holy kiss with an open heart.
Should older parishioners kiss the hands of young clergy?
Church services are often led by people much younger than those attending. However, the question of age should not arise. For example, when visiting a doctor, a person does not refuse to undergo an examination because the specialist is younger than the patient.
In other words, there is no need to associate the moment of kissing the hand of a clergyman with the personality of a particular priest. By kissing the hand, a person touches God's right hand. But besides this, the believer, of course, expresses his respect, but not for a specific person, but for his clergy, that is, for the church itself.
How to receive blessings correctly
For believers, the blessing received from a priest is important. In some cases it expresses greeting, and in others - parting words, permission. This action allows you to receive a piece of grace from the priest, who is endowed with sacred rank.
You can receive a blessing from the priest, who is in the church, wearing church clothes and holding a cross. It is permissible to greet the priest in civilian clothes and outside the temple, but then the person receiving the blessing must be familiar with him. At the same time, many grandmothers advise folding your palms near your chest, but such a gesture is erroneous.
To receive a blessing, believers turn to the priests both after the service and in their free time from the liturgy. To do this, those who wish turn to the priest, express their request, kiss the hand and hold it or apply it to the forehead. In this way, a person expresses respect for the priest and his rank. In the Bible this is confirmed by the following expression: “Kissing the hand of a priest is not an ordinary kiss, but, according to the word of the Apostle Paul, a holy kiss (cf. 1 Cor. 16:20). Without embarrassment, kiss the blessing hand and the office that is blessed by the Holy Spirit" (Missionary Letters. Letter 157)."
What is the meaning of this gesture
In most countries of the world, it is customary among intellectuals to kiss a woman’s hand. As a rule, men kiss the hand of older women and married ladies. This custom is most common in the West. In Germany and Austria, it is customary to do this only on the most solemn occasions. Among Poles, this is a generally accepted rule: a man greets and says goodbye to all women this way. Kissing a hand can only be done in a closed room; you cannot do this during lunch. At a dinner party, it is permissible to kiss only the hostess’s hand, which she should present low so that the man will lean towards her. Previously, kissing a woman's hand was considered a simple greeting. Now this action speaks more about a man’s manners towards a woman. In the time of our great-grandmothers, kissing the hand of a young girl was unacceptable. Never kissed a hand unless the woman took off her glove. In the old days, when intelligence and good manners reigned in society, this action was so widespread that they did not think much about its performance.
Europeans still kiss the hand of both women and young girls, despite the restrictions. This happens both indoors and outdoors; all greetings of this type are acceptable in European society.
How else do men show affection?
It is difficult for a person in love to hide his emotions. When feelings take over us, it is almost impossible to hide them. And men are no exception; even though they are serious people, they behave childishly and unrestrainedly at such moments. Therefore, they are easy to recognize:
- Pay attention to the look, it becomes intrusive, fixated, it’s hard not to notice. If you look at him, he will immediately lower his eyes;
- When you are in a company or work together, he will definitely single you out, compliment you and maybe kiss your hand. And he no longer cares who is nearby;
- In addition to a kiss on the hand, he will look for other ways of tactile contact. He will try to hug you around the waist, will hold on to the back of the chair where you are sitting, as if marking his territory;
- He will try to show himself in all his glory. Your intelligence, gallantry, sense of humor.
However, all this should not be taken unambiguously at once; perhaps the guy is always like this with everyone. In general, never immediately show your affection, watch what happens next.
Touching ladies' hands is a tradition that is leaving the modern world. However, it becomes unclear what can replace it and, for example, how to greet a woman without actually shaking her hand. Maybe we should remember about the kiss on the hand, what it means and return it to our reality, already devoid of unnecessary pleasant signs of attention to each other.
