Durandus on the Kiss of Peace

Following up on Dr Foley’s article of yesterday on the kiss of peace, here is an excerpts from our friend William Durandus’ Rationale Divinorum Officiorum on the same subject. (book IV, chapter 53.)

After the Lord greeted the Apostles, He said to them again, “Peace be with you” (John 20, 19-21), showing that we must have peace not only in our mouth, but also in our heart, lest we be among those who speak peace with their neighbor but have evil in their hearts. (Ps. 27, 3) Therefore, when He had said these things to the Apostles, He breathed upon them and said to them, “receive the Holy Spirit.”

The Incredulity of St Thomas, 1308-11, by Duccio di Buoninsegna, one of the panels of the dismembered altarpiece of Siena Cathedral known as the Maestà.

To symbolize, this the priest, when he has done the commingling and finished the prayer, in some churches, receives the peace from the Eucharist, that is from the very Body of the Lord (i.e. by kissing it), or according to others, from the tomb itself, that is, from the chalice or the altar, and immediately gives the kiss to deacon. They who receive it from the Body itself do this as a sign that spiritual peace was given by Christ to the human race. … But the deacon gives the peace to others, and they amongst themselves, as a sign that all must have peace, but especially the sons of the Church. …

Therefore, because charity is poured forth (diffunditur) upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is given into us, therefore the kiss of peace he is spread forth (diffunditur) through all the faithful in the Church, for the Apostle advises, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (2 Cor. 13, 12)

The fact that the priest gives the peace to the people was prefigured by Joshua, who, having overcome his enemies, took possession of the land, which he then divided by lot, and possessed in peace; and likewise Christ, rising from the dead and overcoming the devil, gives gifts and peace to man. (Eph. 4, 8, cit. Ps. 67, 19)

A bishop gives the peace first to a minister who was previously on his left, but comes to receive the peace on his right. By this are signified the gentiles, who first passed in peace from the left side of infidelity to the right side of faith and eternity; then through this minister, the peace goes up to the people.

The people give the kiss amongst themselves at the Mass … because through the sacrificing of the saving Victim, our sins are forgiven, and we are reconciled to the Most High. Rightly then did the Church decree that the kiss of peace be given at the time when the saving Victim is sacrificed for sins. Therefore, men give the kiss, that is, the sign of peace, to one another, to show that they are joined in the body of Christ, through Whom peace was made in heaven and on earth. …

In the Mass for the Dead, the peace is not given, because these faithful souls are no longer in the tribulation of this world, nor will they be so any longer, but they already rest in the Lord. For this reason, the kiss of peace which is the sign of peace and harmony, is not necessary for them. And likewise, the priest does not say the prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ who gave peace to your Apostles,” nor does he receive the peace from the altar.

Two French pax bredes made in the 15th or 16th century, displayed earlier this year in a show on medieval art at the Louvre in Paris, photographed by Nicola.