Kissing Theology -- Selected Love Letters from Medieval Monasteries

Author: Abelard
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-04-01
Features: "May your lips kiss me" – this was the original title proposed for this book, which gradually evolved into the title that summarizes the fundamental themes of the work. Nevertheless, the various considerations regarding the original title should be given sufficient attention, as it highlights the significant role of the relationship between God and humanity, as well as among people themselves (relatio), in Christianity. "May your lips kiss me" – these few words carry profound meanings: longing, desire, tenderness, love, and all that one can express through a kiss. Is that all? Is its significance limited only to the secular realm of emotions? The context of this phrase itself transcends this level. It originates from the Bible. The Book of Songs in the Old Testament – whose Hebrew title is literally translated as "Song of Songs" (Luther translated it as Song of Songs) – begins with "May he kiss me with his mouth!" (Song 1:2). In this religious poem, a young couple expresses their passionate longing for the perfect Other through moving imagery. What a kiss can convey far exceeds what is often portrayed on television, in films, and in newspapers. In many cultures, kissing is a natural form of greeting. To kiss someone upon their arrival or departure. Kissing is a gesture of affection and respect. In families, parents kiss their children, and children kiss their parents, symbolizing the closeness and sincere love between them. Christian liturgy is filled with examples of kissing and its sacred meanings. Generally, a kiss is a symbol of supernatural love. In baptism and confirmation, kisses symbolize the acceptance of a person into the Christian Church. The Eucharist begins or ends with a kiss of the altar, a custom dating back to the 4th century. The meaning here is primarily that the altar represents Christ, but it also signifies the veneration of the relics of martyrs placed within it. Even today, it remains customary to kiss the Gospel after reading it. It is common for concelebrating priests and believers to kiss each other in a gesture of peace. This is a practice retained from the original liturgical regulations following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The original regulations included numerous provisions for kissing as a sign of respect and reverence, such as kissing the chalice, the stole, or the vestments. The Eastern Orthodox liturgy preserves kissing as a liturgical act. Concelebrating priests and laypeople kiss icons as a sign of reverence, which may seem peculiar to Western Christians. The symbolism behind this act is that during the liturgy, heaven and earth meet, and this encounter encompasses all human senses – sight, hearing, taste, and touch. Just as icons are spiritually regarded as windows through which observers can "gaze" at the mystical realm of the saints, kissing is also a sign of human reverence for the divine. The meaning of a kiss has never been limited to the physical or secular realm. Its ancient significance lies in the transmission of power and unity. In ancient Greek and Roman cultures, the rituals of kissing the altar and the statue were very common. The ancient Egyptians kissed the feet of their main gods, the Romans considered a kiss to be a sign of allegiance to an alliance, and in Islam, to this day, kissing the Black Stone (Schwarzen Steines der Kaaba) remains the climax of the pilgrimage to Mecca.