How to Benefit from the Holy Liturgy - Pope Kirillos Scientific Family

the person standing near him or her. This is done as a sign of
love, reconciliation and peace. An old tradition in some
churches states that when believers exchange a holy kiss with
each other, each person is to say, "Christ is in our midst",
and the other one responds by saying, "Now and He will
stay with us."
'Prayer of Reconciliation' refers to the reconciliation between
us and God. "Now all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has
given to us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians
5:18). As long as Christ reconciled us with God and gave us
the ministry of reconciliation, let us reconcile with each other
and greet one another with a holy, loving kiss, while standing
in the presence of God, to prove our adoption and
worthiness for his Fatherhood, and so make glad His loving
heart. It is worth mentioning that at this moment, the
congregation sings the appropriate hymn, "Rejoice O Mary"
as the Virgin St. Mary is our compassionate mother, and the
mother of the church rejoices when she sees her children
loving one another and greeting one another with a holy kiss
of love and peace.
When we kiss each other, the peace of God reigns
immediately in our hearts and, "Pray everywhere, lifting up
holy hands without wrath and doubting" (1Timothy2:8),
so we can be assured of the acceptance of our prayers.
After this holy greeting, the congregation sing, "Through
the pleadings of the Mother of God, Saint Mary. Oh Lord,
grant us the forgiveness of our sins. We worship you, O
Christ, with Your gracious Father and the Holy Spirit, for
You have come and saved us. The gift of peace, the
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