On Friday evening, with my brothers Jonathan and Cyprien, we spent over three hours live on the theme of the Christian kiss. Here, then, is the faithful and complete summary of the segments where we discussed it, from the beginning to the end of the live stream.
Why this theme?
In the very first minutes, I opened with: "Tonight, I hope you're ready because we're going to talk about a very serious topic… the Christian kiss. We have quite a bit to say on this subject, you know."
And indeed, we did not hold back!
The kiss in the Bible: impossible to ignore
I recalled the five explicit passages from the New Testament:
- Romans 16:16: "Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you."
- 1 Corinthians 16:20: "Greet one another with a holy kiss."
- 2 Corinthians 13:12: "Greet one another with a holy kiss."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:26: "Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss."
- 1 Peter 5:14: "Greet one another with a kiss of love."
"It's hard to say that's not tradition," concluded Cyprien. Even the Anabaptists (a Protestant movement) still practice it today with a real smack on the lips, which made everyone laugh: "Either you are consistent and you do the smack, or you have to accept…"
A universal practice in Mediterranean cultures and beyond
We noted that this was not only Catholic:
- In all ancient Mediterranean cultures, people kissed on the mouth to greet each other.
- In Russia, it was (and in some regions still is) common: we even cited a painting of the Tsar kissing a soldier on the mouth.
- Cyprien added: "It can shock us today, especially today."
Cyprien shared a personal anecdote: at 16, while doing a role-playing game about the Templars, he discovered that knights greeted each other with a kiss on the mouth. "I was stunned… I thought, 'wait, they kissed each other?'" We had a good laugh imagining knights in 40 kg armor giving each other a smack before heading off on a crusade!
In the Mass: from the sacred kiss to the sign of peace
We explained the liturgical evolution:
- In the early Church and for centuries, the kiss of peace was a real kiss on the mouth (between men, as men and women were separated at Mass).
- Around the 10th-11th century, when men and women began to mix in churches, the Church replaced the direct kiss with the pax board to avoid any discomfort.
- In the Tridentine Mass, the sign of peace remains very sober (the priest gives it to the deacon, who transmits it).
- In the Mass of Paul VI, it became the sign of peace we all know, shared among all the faithful.
Cyprien emphasized: "This kiss has transformed for us today in the Mass of Saint Paul VI into the sign of peace."
We also showed a 16th-century painting (by Alonso Rodriguez) where Saint Peter and Saint Paul kiss on the mouth before their martyrdom – proof that the Church was never ashamed of this practice.
Did the Church ever forbid it?
A clear and unanimous answer: no. Even today, if a pope decided to reintroduce the real kiss of peace into the Mass (Tridentine or Paul VI), he would have every right to do so. Cyprien joked: "I think he should start with the Tridentine crowd since they care so much about tradition!"
The human and humorous side
We couldn't help but laugh:
- Jonathan: "I'm not very tactile and not very into kisses."
- Cyprien: "Well, you would have been miserable in the France of old because they would have smacked you right on the lips!"
Conclusion of the live stream on the topic
We finished by saying that this gesture had nothing "gay" about it in its time: it was a sign of union in the Lord, of pure Christian fraternity. Today, our customs and sense of modesty have changed, but the tradition remains beautiful, and the current sign of peace is its direct heir.
If you wish to rewatch the entire live stream (or just the segments on the kiss), the replay is available on the channel.