Holy Kiss

And, if we see it to be requisite to stand and pray for the sake of the women, and to speak words of exhortation and edification, we call together the brethren and all the holy sisters and maidens, and likewise all the other women who are there, inviting them with all modesty and becoming behaviour to come and feast on the truth. And those among us who are skilled in speaking speak to them, and exhort them in those words which God has given us. And then we pray, and salute one another, the men the men. But the women and the maidens will wrap their hands in their garments; and we also, with circumspection and with all purity, our eyes looking upwards, shall wrap our right hand in our garments; and then they will come and give us the salutation on our right hand wrapped in our garments. Then we go where God permits us.
Clement of Rome (c. 100, E), Two Epistles on Virginity, second epistle, chapter 2

Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss.
Justin Martyr (c. 160, E), Ante-Nicene Church Fathers – Vol. 1, Page 185.

On behalf of those, then, to whom we apply the names of brothers and sisters (and other designations of relationship), we exercise the greatest care that their bodies should remain undefiled and uncorrupted. For the Logos again says to us, “If anyone kisses a second time because it has given him pleasure, [he sins].” He also adds, “Therefore the kiss or rather the salutation, should be given with the greatest care, since, if there are mixed with it the least defilement of thought, it excludes us from eternal life.”
Athenagoras (c. 175, E), Ante-Nicene Church Fathers – Vol. 2, Page 146.

And if we are called to the kingdom of God, let us walk worthy of the kingdom, loving God and our neighbour. But love is not proved by a kiss, but by kindly feeling. But there are those, that do nothing but make the churches resound with a kiss, not having love itself within. For this very thing, the shameless use of a kiss, which ought to be mystic, occasions foul suspicions and evil reports. The apostle calls the kiss holy. When the kingdom is worthily tested, we dispense the affection of the soul by a chaste and closed mouth, by which chiefly gentle manners are expressed. But there is another unholy kiss, full of poison, counterfeiting sanctity. Do you not know that spiders, merely by touching the mouth, afflict men with pain? And often kisses inject the poison of licentiousness. It is then very manifest to us, that a kiss is not love. For the love meant is the love of God. And this is the love of God, says John, that we keep His commandments; not that we stroke each other on the mouth. And His commandments are not grievous. But salutations of beloved ones in the ways, full as they are of foolish boldness, are characteristic of those who wish to be conspicuous to those without, and have not the least particle of grace. For if it is proper mystically in the closet to pray to God, it will follow that we are also to greet mystically our neighbour, whom we are commanded to love second similarly to God, within doors, redeeming the time.
Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), Ante-Nicene Church Fathers – Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, Book 3, chapter 11, Vol. 2, Page 291.

On the way [to be martyred], the other man asked James to forgive him. And after brief consideration, James said, “Peace be to you,” and kissed him. And so both were beheaded together.
Eusebius, citing Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), Ante-Nicene Church Fathers – Vol. 2, Page 579.

Another custom has now become prevalent. Those who are fasting withhold the kiss of peace (which is the seal of prayer) after prayer made with brethren. But when is peace more to be concluded with brethren than when, at the time of some religious observance, our prayer ascends with more acceptability? . . . What prayer is complete if separated from the holy kiss?
Tertullian (c. 198, W), Ante-Nicene Church Fathers – Vol. 3, Page 687.

[What unbelieving husband] will permit her to creep into prison to kiss a martyr’s chains? Will he permit her to meet any of the brethren to exchange the kiss?
Tertullian (c. 205, W), Ante-Nicene Church Fathers – Vol. 4, Page 46.

When he has been made bishop, everyone shall give him the kiss of peace, and salute him respectfully, for he has been made worthy of this.
Hippolytus (c. 215, E), Apostolic Tradition, chapter 4

When the teacher finishes his instruction, the catechumens will pray by themselves, separate from the faithful. The women will also pray in another place in the church, by themselves, whether faithful women or catechumen women. After the catechumens have finished praying, they do not give the kiss of peace, for their kiss is not yet pure. But the faithful shall greet one another with a kiss, men with men, and women with women. Men must not greet women with a kiss.
Hippolytus (c. 215, E), Apostolic Tradition, chapter 18

And let us understand that by the “mouth” of the Bridegroom is meant the power by which He enlightens the mind and, as by some word of love addressed to her—if so she deserve to experience the presence of power so great—makes plain whatever is unknown and dark to her. And this is the truer, closer, holier kiss, which is said to be granted by the Bridegroom-Word of God to the Bride—that is to say, to the pure and perfect soul; it is of this happening that the kiss, which we give one to another in church at the holy mysteries, is a figure. — Origen, Commentary on the Song of Songs, Book 1, chapter 1

All of a sudden, Archelaus appeared among them and embraced Diodorus, saluting him with a holy kiss.
Disputation of Archelaus and Manes (c. 320, E), Ante-Nicene Church Fathers – Vol. 6, Page 221.

Then let the men give the men, and the women give the women, the Lord’s kiss. But let no one do it with deceit, as Judas betrayed the Lord with a kiss.
Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), Ante-Nicene Church Fathers – Vol. 7, Page 422.

With all your body contracted, you spent the long hours of the night in pouring out confession to God, and made your beard wet with channels of tears. Why particularize? Remember how many mouths of saints you saluted with a kiss, how many bodies you embraced, how many held your hands as undefiled, how many servants God, as though in worship, ran and clasped you by the knees. – Basil the Great, Letter 45, chapter 1

Since I mentioned a kiss, I wish now also to speak to you of this. When we are about to participate in the sacred Table, we are also instructed to offer a holy greeting. Why? Since we have been divorced from our bodies, we join souls with one another on that occasion by means of the kiss, so that our gathering becomes like the gathering of the apostles when, because all believed, there was one heart and one soul. 33. Bound together in this fashion, we ought to approach the sacred mysteries. Hear what Christ says: “If thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother has anything against thee, go first to be reconciled to thy brother and then offer thy gift.” He did not say: “First offer”; He said: First be reconciled and then offer. When the gift is set before us, let us, therefore, first become reconciled with one another and then proceed to the sacrifice. 34. But there can be another mystical meaning of this kiss. The Holy Spirit has made us temples of Christ. Therefore, when we kiss each other’s mouths, we are kissing the entrance of the temple. Let no one, therefore, do this with a wicked conscience, with a mind that festers beneath the surface. For the kiss is a holy thing. Paul says: “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” — John Chrysostom, Baptismal Instructions 11.32-34

“…He was troubled then as having foreknowledge of the hanging, and the punishment after the hanging. And though He knelt his wickedness, He bore with him to the last hour, and thrust not away the traitor, but even kissed him. Your Master kisses, and with His lips receives him who was on the very point of shedding His precious Blood. And do you count the poor not worthy even of a loaf, and reverencest not the Law which Christ laid down? Now by this He shows that we ought not to turn aside, not only from the poor, but not even from those that would lead us away to death. Do not tell me then, that so and so has done me grievous mischief, but just consider what Christ did near the Cross itself, wishing to amend by His kiss the traitor by whom He was on the point of being betrayed. And see with how much power to shame him. For He says, Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss? Luke 23:48 Who is there He would not have softened? Who is there that this address would not have made yielding? What beast? What adamant? Yet not that wretched man. Do not then say, that such an one murdered such an one, and that is why I turn aside from him. For even if he were upon the point of thrusting a sword down into you, and to plunge his hand into your neck itself, kiss this very right hand! since even Christ kissed that mouth which wrought His death! … But you, when nothing either thrusts you on or compels you, devourest your brother, bitest, and tearest him, if not with your teeth, yet with words that bite more cuttingly. How then will you receive the sacred Host (προσφορὰν), when you have empurpled your tongue in human gore? How give the kiss of peace, with mouth gorged with war? – John Chrysostom, Homily 21 on Romans

Then, after the consecration of the sacrifice of God, because he wanted us to be ourselves his sacrifice, which is indicated by where that sacrifice was first put, that is the sign of the thing that we are;8 why, then after the consecration is accomplished, we say the Lord’s prayer, which you have received and given back. After that comes the greeting, Peace be with you, and Christians kiss one another with a holy kiss. It’s a sign of peace; what is indicated by the lips should happen in the conscience; that is, just as your lips approach the lips of your brothers or sisters, so your heart should not be withdrawn from theirs. – Augustine, Sermon 227

But the Donatists having openly separated and divided themselves off, although they are even said to have taken part in the ordination of Primianus, yet condemned the said Primianus, ordained another bishop in opposition to Primianus, baptized outside the communion of Primianus, rebaptized after Primianus, and returned to Primianus with their disciples who had been baptized by themselves outside, and never rebaptized by any one inside. If such a union with the party of Maximianus does not pollute the Donatists, how can the mere report concerning the Africans pollute the foreigners? If the lips meet together without offense in the kiss of peace, which reciprocally condemned each other, why is each man that is condemned by them in the churches very far removed by the intervening sea from their jurisdiction, not saluted with a kiss as a faithful Catholic, but driven forth with a blast of indignation as an impious pagan? – Augustine, Answer to the Letters of Petilian the Donatist 1.12