The Kiss of Peace is a liturgical, not a social action.

When we come to the Kiss of Peace, greet the person to your left and to your right with a kiss (or a quick embrace) and the words “Christ is in our midst”. The reply is “He is and was and ever shall be.” Then be ready to continue with the recitation of the Creed.

It is important that the prayer of the Church is not interrupted to greet those further away or for conversations that should rightly take place in the coffee hour room. Unfortunately, many Orthodox Churches do not celebrate the Kiss of Peace among the laity due to the fact that it can become a distraction from prayer.

The Kiss of Peace is a beautiful liturgical action that should encourage one another on in our corporate prayer.