Kissing Theology: Medieval Monastic Love Letters

Author: Abelard and others
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-05-01
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. However, the various considerations behind the original title should still be given sufficient attention, as it highlights the profound significance 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 rich connotations: longing, desire, tenderness, love, and all that one can express through a kiss. Is that all? Is its meaning limited only to worldly emotions? The context of this phrase itself transcends this level. It comes from the Bible. The Book of Songs in the Old Testament – whose Hebrew title literally translates to "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 portrays an infectious scene, praising their longing for the perfect other. What a kiss can express far exceeds what television, movies, and newspapers often showcase. 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, expressing closeness and sincere love. Christian rituals contain numerous examples of kissing as metaphors and sacramental meanings. Generally, a kiss is a symbol of supernatural love. In baptism and confirmation, kissing signifies 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, through kissing the altar, showing reverence for the remains of martyrs placed within it. Even today, there is a custom of kissing the Gospel after it is read. It is common for concelebrating priests and believers to kiss each other as a gesture of peace. This is a practice retained from the original liturgical regulations after the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The original regulations included numerous provisions regarding kissing as a sign of respect and reverence, such as kissing the chalice, the stole, or the vestments. Eastern Orthodox liturgies preserve kissing as a liturgical act. Concelebrating priests and laypeople kiss icons as a sign of reverence, which may seem peculiar to Western Christians. The implication of this act is that during the liturgy, heaven and earth meet, and this meeting encompasses all of humanity's senses – sight, hearing, taste, and touch. Just as icons are spiritually regarded as windows through which observers "see" 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 worldly. Its ancient meaning is the transmission of power and unity. In ancient Greek and Roman cultures, the customs of kissing altars and statues 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.