Procession to kiss an icon of Mary?

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Just went to mass at a new parish this morning and they did somthing that neither I nor the girl whom I attended with had seen before. After mass there was a devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, after which the congregation processed to kiss an image of Our Lady.

I, though I am not very old, thought that I was a pretty well rounded Catholic and have never seen anything quite like this before. Can anyone point me to some sources to learn more about this practice?
 
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clarkbmiller:
Just went to mass at a new parish this morning and they did somthing that neither I nor the girl whom I attended with had seen before. After mass there was a devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, after which the congregation processed to kiss an image of Our Lady.

I, though I am not very old, thought that I was a pretty well rounded Catholic and have never seen anything quite like this before. Can anyone point me to some sources to learn more about this practice?
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I question this too.
Many people walk around our church kissing statues. Honestly, I have no idea what it is about.
I suppose that if this is their way of coming closer to Our Lord, it is understandable, but it reminds me of kissing a picture of my favorite movie star as a child.
 
I, though I am not very old, thought that I was a pretty well rounded Catholic and have never seen anything quite like this before. Can anyone point me to some sources to learn more about this practice?
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The kissing of icons is an Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic tradition, not really Roman Catholic.

Greek churches will often advise their women not to wear lipstick in church for that very reason.

Your local eastern rite churches, Catholic or otherwise would be your best source of information about it.
 
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Kielbasi:
The kissing of icons is an Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic tradition, not really Roman Catholic.
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After some forum surfing I saw this to be the case. However, every orther part of the Liturgy was done (and done well!) in the western style.
 
It is just a devotion to show your love. It is the same as kissing and touching a relic, or the Pope’s ring, the cross at Lent.

My parish does this for our weekday devotions to the Saints when a relic is present. I find it just a great way to experience the sacramental ( icon, relic etc.).
 
Kissing an icon is part of the veneration of the person, or event that is written on the icon.
(A icon is ‘written’ because it depicts the Glory of Heaven in the image that is portrayed).

In secular talk, it’s like kissing a picture of your parents or another loved one. You are showing love towards the memory of that person int he picture.

We in the Eastern Tradition do the same.
 
netmil(name removed by moderator):
I question this too.
Many people walk around our church kissing statues. Honestly, I have no idea what it is about.
I suppose that if this is their way of coming closer to Our Lord, it is understandable, but it reminds me of kissing a picture of my favorite movie star as a child.
Click to expand...
Its a remnant of our Eastern Roots…Before the divine liturgy our Eastern Brethren walk up to their favourite icons and kiss them and cross themselves…With the Easterners the Icons are an actual window into heaven.
 
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clarkbmiller:
Just went to mass at a new parish this morning and they did somthing that neither I nor the girl whom I attended with had seen before. After mass there was a devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, after which the congregation processed to kiss an image of Our Lady.

I, though I am not very old, thought that I was a pretty well rounded Catholic and have never seen anything quite like this before. Can anyone point me to some sources to learn more about this practice?
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The Byzantine Catholics kiss Icons often. They have an iconostasis at the kiss the icons when then enter the church for Liturgy.
 
Any ideas on how common this is in Western Churches? That is my real question I gues…
 
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jimmy:
The Byzantine Catholics kiss Icons often. They have an iconostasis at the kiss the icons when then enter the church for Liturgy.
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Well this is looking pretty correct to me!
And now I see why we have so many people doing it in our church. Many are visiting from the Eastern Rite churches!
 
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jimmy:
The Byzantine Catholics kiss Icons often. They have an iconostasis at the kiss the icons when then enter the church for Liturgy.
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Actually, we venerate the ikon that is on the TETRAPOD, the small table in front of the ikonostas.

On the TETRAPOD is usually the ikon of the patron saint after whom the church is named or the ikon for that day’s Feast.

Here is a pic of a TETRAPOD:

http://www.hrbcc.org/photos/tetrapod.jpg

Hope this helps…
 
In Latin American countries, the kissing of statues and images is fairly common. Though it is not my own way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
 
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