What is the kiss of peace?

The kiss of peace calls to mind the words of the Risen Lord, “Peace be with you.” (Image: 123RF)

A LOT OF KISSING GOES ON inside and outside of the Bible. Some 50 references, to be precise—but not all are kisses of peace, nor what the New Testament frequently calls a “holy kiss.” Many kisses, within and apart from scripture, are exchanged between spouses, lovers, children and parents, friends, and family. Such gestures typically imply affection and a close personal bond.

However, biblical kisses may mean more. Ritual kisses are exchanged between kings and their subjects as a sign of fealty. The prophet Samuel kisses Saul when anointing him first king of Israel. The hand of a lender may be kissed by a borrower. These kisses are promises of action or remuneration to follow.

Kisses may also signal reconciliation. In this way, aggrieved Esau kisses Jacob when the long-separated brothers are reunited. Joseph kisses the brothers who sold him into slavery when the family is finally restored. Jesus recommends all divisions be similarly resolved before approaching the altar with a gift. “If you are offering your gift at the altar … first, be reconciled with your brother” (Matthew 5:23-24). The Book of Proverbs describes an honest reply as a “kiss on the lips.” Psalm 85 imagines the meeting of justice and peace as a kiss.

Such plentiful ritual use of the kiss is why betrayal with a kiss is both unexpected and reprehensible. As early as Genesis, Jacob deceives his blind father with a kiss, posing as his brother to steal his paternal blessing. King David’s general Joab pretends to kiss an enemy Amasa, then stabs him in the abdomen. Most famously, Judas betrays Jesus to a mob in Gethsemane by greeting him with a most unholy kiss.

The Early Church chose to include the ritual practice of the kiss in its liturgy. The kiss of peace is first mentioned by Justin Martyr as part of the liturgy in the second century. It was delivered after the Prayer of the Faithful: “When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss.” Positioned as it was before the Offertory, it was seen as a sign of forgiveness and reconciliation—an offer of peace among the faithful. And for third-century Christian theologian Tertullian it was a seal of affirmation of the preceding prayer, much like an amen.“What prayer is complete without the holy kiss?” he asks.

In the fifth century, Pope Innocent repositioned the kiss after the Eucharist, again as a sign of assent to all that had gone before. In the 11th century, “the bond of peace and charity,” as the gesture was described, preceded Communion. By medieval times, the ritual sign of peace started with the presiding priest kissing the altar and then kissing a plaque that became known as a pax, or peace, board, which was then shared among other ministers and the congregation. Though this practice was far removed from its original sense of fellowship and communion symbolized in the kiss of peace, the 1474 Missal did include as part of the ritual, the words of the Risen Lord: “Peace be with you.”

The 20th century, with the convening of Vatican II, saw liturgists and scholars alike looking to restore the kiss of peace and its rich symbolism. Pope Paul VI wanted the kiss of peace to be obligatory rather than optional, and Sacrosanctum Concilium called for the restoration of rites to their original form so that the faithful could participate more fully in the liturgy, which “is their right and duty by reason of their baptism.”

Now positioned after the Lord’s Prayer before Communion, the kiss of peace serves as a recognition of Christ’s presence in the faithful. We are invited to offer one another a sign of peace in the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, who as the presider reminds us, said to his disciples, “Peace I leave you, my peace I give to you (John 14:27). And this offer of peace, according to a pastoral introduction to the rite by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, is an essential element of our faith and the work of God’s people:

The exchange of peace prior to the reception of Communion is an acknowledgement that Christ whom we receive in the Sacrament is already present in our neighbor. In this exchange the assembly acknowledges the insistent Gospel truth that communion with God in Christ is enjoyed in communion with our sisters and brothers in Christ. The rite of peace is not an expression merely of human solidarity or good will; it is rather an opening of ourselves and our neighbors to a challenge and a gift from beyond ourselves. Like the “Amen” at Communion, it is the acceptance of a challenge, a profession of faith that we are members, one with another, in the body of Christ.

The symbolism behind the kiss of peace is arguably a perfect encapsulation of our Christian faith: God is love. God became incarnate. God redeemed and sanctified us and is ever present. The more we come to recognize God’s love for us and the many great things God has done for us, the more we come to love ourselves and one another. That is when true peace is possible and we become one in Christ.

Whether we place the emphasis on reconciliation or unity in Christ, the kiss of peace—delivered with a brush on the cheek, a handshake, a nod, or some other simple gesture—is a blessing, an offering, and a thing hoped for as we look to our neighbor and exchange the words: “Peace be with you.”

Kisses in scripture: Genesis 27:26-27; 33:4; 45:15; 2 Samuel 20:9; Psalm 85:11; Proverbs 24:26; Sirach 29:5; Mark 14:44-45; Matthew 5:23-24; 26:48-49; Luke 7:38, 45; 15:20; 22:47-48; Acts 20:37; Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 Peter 5:14e.