Kissing the bishop's ring

  • Thread starter Thread starter DavidCro
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

DavidCro

Guest
Is it customary to kiss bishop’s ring for lay people when greeting him? And what about the clergy, is it customary for them to do so when greeting a bishop? Would not kissing a ring be considered rude? Would kissing a ring be considered a step to far and awkward? I saw both lay and clergy greeting both ways.

It’s a silly question perhaps, and perhaps the wrong category I chose for my question. Nevertheless, I’d like to hear some answers.
 
It all depends on the Bishop.

Our former Bishop did not require, expect or want anyone to kiss his ring.

Our new Bishop does not require it, but does not refuse it either.
 
When I was an altar boy, we always kissed the bishop’s ring. However, on many occasions I noticed the priests or lay people would just shake hands… It was the same bishop in question. Which option is considered customary in Catholic life?
 
Again, it all depends on what the Bishop’s preference is.
 
You are not kissing the ring or the Bishop, but the office, which Jesus Christ established. I have kissed the hands of a few Priests, as they and they alone bring my Lord to me. It is an affirmation of the Priest sacrificing his life for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.
 
DavidCro said:
Which option is considered customary in Catholic life?
Click to expand...
It is customary to kiss the ring out of respect for the office, as po18guy mentioned. It’s a way to recognize his office as a successor of the Apostles.
 
It’s customary in the sense that it is a custom. In the U.S. at least, it is far less practiced than it used to be.

I’ve heard stories of some bishops that like it and stories of others that don’t. I’ve met my share of bishops and never have I kissed a bishop’s ring. I guess I always felt it was more likely that I’d make him uncomfortable by doing it rather than offending him that I didn’t.
 
It is I believe a sign of respect for the title He holds. They are leaders of the church, given their office of Bishop from the Pope . .
 
I would ask your pastor about what your bishop prefers and what the local custom is.
 
I have never kiss the ring of a bishop…

I know my actual bishop and he is young. I have met him regularly on youth dinners and radios…and he just shake hands.
 
We don’t, but then our Bishop is frequently celebrating Mass, and has conducted special adorations with us.
He is very active in tending his flock. Mass goes for half hour to an hour plus, depending on location, day, and whether Baptisms or Solemnities are on.

Our Bishop also blesses our items. I don’t think he would get much achieved if everyone was wanting to do that.
 
Last edited:
i have met my bishop several times; i never got the impression that he expected me to kiss his ring

if i’d’ve seen other people doing that, i’d’ve done so

i agree it is a sign of respect for his Office, albeit a little awkward
 
But it is not customary in the US to kiss a priests’s hand regardless of whether its about his office or not.

It is apparently different in the Phillipines.
 
Not quite a kiss. Here in Vancouver we have a vast Filipino Catholic community (there would be a lot of half-empty churches without them!). They bow to the priest, take his hand, and place it against their forehead. Local priests know to take it in stride even if not Filipino themselves.
 
Correct, didn’t want to confuse things.

However its not just done to priests but anyone of high standing from what I can make out.
 
When I met the, then, Primate of Canada, I genuflected on my left knee and kissed his ring. With other bishops I have typically simply given a bow while shaking their hand.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top