I wrote this on another part of the forum, but I think it is especially important for young people to know.


Asking a Priest for a blessing is something that I wish i saw more of these days. Unfortunately, this custom has fallen out of practice for the most pat in the uniate church.
-How does one ask the blessing of a priest of bishop?

-Bow before him and hold out your right hand placed on top of your left (as if you were recieving the holy mysteries in a modern roman catholic church). The priest will then make the sign of the cross over you with his hand and then place it on your hands for you to kiss.

from the old believer prayer book:

Recieve with joy and as an honour the priest's blessing; that is, when he signeth thee in the form of a Cross upon thy forehead and thy breast and then upon thy right and left shoulders. Havig recieved this, do thou kiss his hand. If he doth not give thee his hand to kiss, ask and entreat him to let thee kiss it. Have I not told thee how great the priest is, and how great is the power of the life-giving Cross, which thou dost also trace upon thyself?


Remember, you are not only kissing a priest's hand but rather and instrument of God which is used to consecrate the Holy Mysteries. If you ask your priest for a blesing next Sunday he should be very edified, and if he does not know how to give a blessing, then teach him, and teach everyone you know. DON'T BE SHY!!

All this to the greater glory of Almighty God.

the sinner ilya

Dear Ilya:

If asking for a blessing and kissing a Priest's hand has become less of a habit in the Byzantine Church, then it has almost died in the Western Church.

When my mother was a girl growing up in Portugal, it was customary for the children to ask for a blessing and kiss the Priest's hand.

Amongst our people this habit has completely disappeared and I have never seen it done in Canada.

I have noticed though that some Filipinos often come and ask for a blessing.

They kiss the Priest's hand and touch it to their foreheads.

It's really quite beautiful.


defreitas

Why do, in the Russian tradition, people touch the ground and then put their hands into the "crossed formation"? Also, what is the proper order for crossing yourself and touching the ground? Is it to touch the ground first then cross yourself, or is it to cross yourself then touch the ground? (Any Russians out there?)

Daniil

Danil,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I heard that it is the Slavic practice to make the sign of the cross first then to make the metany (reaching to the ground with one's right hand). And I was also told that it is the Middle Eastern Christian practice to make matany first then make the sign of the cross.

Also touching your forhead to the priests hand before you kiss it is a sign of obedience. Not just to him but to the Cross.

rose

Dear Friends,

The traditional Slavonic order for the rite of the priest's blessing doesn't actually call for actually touching the floor or ground.

It is a principle, especially among Old Believers, that we are not to soil the hand with which we Cross ourselves, thus the use of "piddruchniky" among them for making prostrations.

Also, the Sign of the Cross is not done before a priest or Bishop, that is reserved for God alone.

One approaches the priest or bishop making a low bow with one's hand extended as far down as possible (without actually touching the ground).

Then one greets the clergyman with the three-fold kiss.

And only then one places one's right hand on one's left, bows and says, "Bless me a sinner, Reverend Father or Vladyka!"

After the blessing, we kiss the hand placed on our open hands.

We again kiss the priest three times on the face in honour of the Holy Trinity.

That marks the end of this beautiful rite.

In the Latin Church where genuflection is practiced, one goes down on the right knee in Church, but only on the left knee before a Bishop or other, including a King or other Sovereign.

In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the priest holds out his hand-cross which we first kiss and then press to our foreheads. Just in case you should ever come across an Ethiopian priest . . .

Alex

[ 04-18-2002: Message edited by: Orthodox Catholic ]

Christos Voskrese!
Vostinnu Voskrese!

This is definitely the case! I've seen so many priests (older ones especially!) smile widely when asked to give a blessing, especially those of the Latin Rite. It's just one of those little things (that isn't so little, really!) that can make a priest's day.

However, as was mentioned, the practice is practically non-existent in the West. I feel alot of this has to do with the blurring of the roles between the priest and laity in the post-Vatican II age. I've even overheard a priest that was visiting my parent's church say something to the effect, "We should give each other our blessing," when asked for one by what I guess you could call a "Latin Baba", who is one of the pure gems of my parent's church, beloved by all. She was rather taken aback and wasn't sure what to do.

In Christ,
mikey.

Dear Mikey,

I always ask for the blessing of any Latin priest I know or meet.

Those who know me to be Byzantine (in more ways than one ), mutter something under their breaths, make the Sign of the Cross over me and then let me kiss their hand.

Others cautiously bless me, as if at any time I might jump at them, and then get the idea that they are to place their hand on my open hand.

In addition, whenever we write to a priest or bishop, or whenever we begin and end a conversation with same, even on the telephone, we are to first say immediately: "Bless me a sinner, Reverend Father or Vladyka, Despota etc." And the clergyman can then give us a verbal or written blessing.

At no time are we to say, "God bless" to a clergyman, for that would be usurping his role.

Believe it or not . . .

Alex

Oh, I do believe it! I think I might have to try holding out my open hand next time I ask for a blessing from my favorite priest, just to see what he'll do. He'll either know right away or ask me point blank if he wants me for him to "give me five" (with a wry grin and a wink, of course!).

In Christ,
mikey.

Dear Mikey,

I remember visiting a Latin Catholic monastery in Quebec and kissing the hand of the Mother Superior.

The wonderful, elderly lady was so impressed that she smiled widely and slightly held out her hand to my wife, fully expecting that she would follow suit.

But she didn't, the little . . .

Alex

Interesting discussion on the respect that one should offer a priest or bishop. They are, as one writer has offered, instruments of God.
I came across this poem - probably some of you have as well. I think it is beautiful.

Deacon Yurij


The Beautiful Hands of a Priest
We need them in life's early morning,
We need them again at its close;
We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,
We seek them when tasting life's woes.
At the altar each day we behold them,
And the hands of a king on his throne
Are not equal to them in their greatness;
Their dignity stands all alone;
And when we are tempted and wander,
To pathways of shame and of sin,
It's the hand of a priest that will absolve us--
Not once, but again and again.
And when we are taking life's partner,
Other hands may prepare us a feast,
But the hand that will bless and unite us--
Is the beautiful hand of a priest.
God bless them and keep them all holy,
For the Host which their fingers caress;
When can a poor sinner do better,
Than to ask Him to guide thee and bless?
When the hour of death comes upon us,
May our courage and strength be increased,
By seeing raised over us in blessing--
The beautiful hands of a priest.

Dear Yurij,

Thank you for sharing that!

There are those among us who believe that all this hand-kissing is a remnant of medieval society that points to the priest's higher social standing!

What nonsense!

This is all about venerating the Grace of the Priesthood and the direct liturgical role played by the Priest's hands in the Divine Liturgy.

The Priest is truly an icon of Jesus Christ, and we honour him as we would Christ.

Alex

I know that in the Eastern Churches, deacons do not bless, but what marks of reverences are traditionally shown toward deacons in the East?

Dear NDHoosier,

I usually say, "Bless me, Reverend Father Deacon" to Deacons.

Some accept this, while others tell me off.

The title "Father Deacon" applies to them always, however.

And it is possible for them to give a kind of lay blessing with three fingers.

Alex

Dear Alex,

In regards to deacons and blesssings might I ask you to explain further. In order to substantiate and validate the position that you take, might I ask you to provide specific literary references.
With thanks,

David Kennedy, Protodeacon