The Kissing of Icons and the Gospel #
In an Old Rite Orthodox church, the kissing of icons takes place at a specific moment during the service—when the magnification (величание) of the feast is sung during the polyeleos. The faithful approach the icon in order and according to seniority. First, the senior-most clergyman (bishop or priest) approaches the icon, then ascends the ambo and bows at the waist to those praying, saying: “Christ is in our midst.” (If he is a bishop, he also blesses those present.) All those in the church respond by making a full prostration to the ground, without making the sign of the cross, and answering: “He is and shall be.”
After this, the junior clergy (priests, deacons, and readers, if present) approach the icon two by two, followed by the laypeople, first the men, then the women.
The faithful approach the icon in pairs, perform two full prostrations to the ground with the sign of the cross, and say a prayer appropriate to the feast. For example, on feasts of the Most Holy God-bearer: “Most Holy Lady God-bearer, save us!” or on the feast of St. Nicholas: “O Christ’s hierarch Nicholas, pray to God for us!”
The same order is followed when kissing the Holy Gospel. Those approaching the Holy Book say the following prayer:
At the first prostration: “With fear and love I draw near unto Thee, O Christ, and I believe Thy words.”
At the second prostration: “With fear, because of sin; and with love, for the sake of salvation.”
Then, after making the sign of the cross, they kiss the image of the crucified Savior—on the right foot—while praying the Jesus Prayer. After this, they again make a full prostration to the ground, saying: “I believe, O Lord, in Thy Holy Gospel, O Christ God; help me and save me.” Then they bow to the priest and to one another.
Afterward, one should make the sign of the cross, fold one’s hands on the chest in the form of a cross with the two fingers (right hand over left), and kiss the icon. Typically, a church attendant stands by the icon with a candle to point out the exact spot to be kissed. The parishioner standing on the right usually kisses the icon first—this is generally the elder.
After kissing the icon, the faithful again perform a full prostration before the image, making the sign of the cross and repeating the appropriate prayer. Then, without crossing themselves, they bow to the ground saying: “Forgive me for the sake of Christ, honorable father,” or “holy master,” to the priest or bishop standing to the right of the icon. They then bow to each other, again without making the sign of the cross, positioning themselves so that each stands at the other’s right hand. The one on the right (who approached the icon first) says: “Christ is in our midst,” and the one on the left replies: “He is and shall be.”
During the period from the Bright Resurrection of Christ (Pascha) until the leave-taking (apodosis) of the Feast of Holy Pascha, instead of the above greeting and response, the Paschal greeting is used:
“Christ resurrected!” — “Truly He resurrected!”
This applies also to the clergy.