It is a practice that might shock many of the faithful today: for centuries, the sign of peace was not a simple handshake or a nod, but an actual kiss on the mouth between Christians. In this episode of *Antenne des Fidèles* (ADF #35), we delve into the history of this little-known rite to understand what it said about the sacred and why it eventually declined.
A Gesture Rooted in Scripture
Contrary to what one might think, the kiss of peace is not a late invention. It is mentioned several times in the epistles of Saint Paul and Saint Peter ("Greet one another with a holy kiss"). For the early Christians, this gesture had no erotic connotation. It symbolized the total unity of the members of the Body of Christ, an exchange of breath signifying the union of souls before receiving the Eucharist.
From the Sacred Kiss to the Decline of the Sacred
Why did this gesture disappear for the common faithful? Several historical and societal factors come into play:
- The Mixing of Congregations: Originally, men and women were separated in church, which allowed for the kiss between brothers on one hand and between sisters on the other without ambiguity. With the end of this separation, the risk of excessive familiarity prompted the Church to be cautious.
- The Evolution of Modesty: From the Middle Ages onward, the direct kiss began to be replaced by the "peace board" or the kissing of a liturgical instrument (the osculatorium) that the priest presented to the faithful.
- The Ritualization of the Feudal Kiss: Curiously, what survived the Mass was long maintained in civil society, notably during the act of feudal homage, where a kiss on the mouth sealed absolute loyalty between two men.
The Sign of Peace Today: An Empty Shell?
The debate raised in this episode goes beyond historical anecdote. In losing these intense, physical gestures of communion, have we not lost part of the sacred dimension of the liturgy? Between the rigorism of some and the modernism of others, the question of the place of the body in prayer remains entirely open.
To discover the entirety of this fascinating debate on the history of the Christian kiss and the crisis of the sacred, watch the full replay: