Kiss of peace

The kiss of peace is an ancient traditional Christian greeting, also called the holy kiss, and sometimes the "brother kiss" (among men), or the "sister kiss" (among women). Such greetings signify a wish and blessing that peace be with the recipient, and besides their spontaneous uses they have certain ritualized or formalized uses long established in liturgy.

In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, the injunction for believers to greet one another with a holy kiss is given in five verses. The early Christian apologist Tertullian wrote that before leaving a house, Christians are to give the holy kiss and say "peace to this house".

Among Conservative Anabaptists, such as the Conservative Mennonite churches and the Dunkard Brethren Church, the holy kiss is counted as an ordinance of the Church. As such, denominations of Conservative Anabaptism observe the practice of the holy kiss. Other denominations (such as the Catholic Church and Lutheran Churches) use various forms of greeting to serve equivalent purposes; these include handshakes, kisses, gestures, and hugs, any of which may be called a sign of peace.