What makes the people kiss the crucifix?

Maybe because they were taught that way when they were a child or it makes them feel closer to God or the saint. I am seeing other people wiping the saints then wipe the cloth to themselves. I also wondered about this too. I don't kiss crucifix because I'm worried about the germs too.

Hi, I think it is simple adoration of the instrument of our salvation, no more no less. Without the cross, there would be no salvation, no possibility of those who believe to enter heaven and be with Christ forever. As a Roman Catholic, I am aware of this principle, I used to do the kissing in the Church with the congregation. Nowadays, I keep the adoration in the privacy of my room, saves me the hassle of long lines, uncomfortable temperature of a non-ventilated building and yes, the possibility of contracting a contagious disease. As far as I can observe the possibility is remote, some guys dab a cloth doused in disinfectant before and after people on the line do it but there may some strain that are resistant to it. Same with the water fonts at the entrance of the church. I have stopped dipping my hands there for the same reason.

It is a tradition or if a person is devotee to the owner of the image and i guess i sign of respect to the owner of that imagine. Yes it can cause of spreading of some virus specially if the one who kiss the image is not aware that he/she is carrier of a virus, and i think most of them has illness, and they believe they will get cured when they kiss the image, i can't say nothing to this is their belief. Sometimes we kiss the picture of our love one specially the person close to our heart, and we do this when they are far away from us, and if we miss them. I usually do kissing the picture of my mother, my nephews and my nieces when i miss them, because i'm from away from them.

Because they want to marry it! Anywho, you could always give it an air kiss to avoid the germs.

hi! I think it is because this is one religious tradition handed down from generation to generation. This is of course unsanitary because, some people might have contagious diseases they can transfer to other people kissing these images. I think there is a mistake in this practice. If you would read the bible, it says that people who worship images made of wood, stones and other materials are pagans. You may have observed that the face of these images are different in one place from their face in another place. For example, the face of Jesus Christ in Quiapo church is different from his face in St. Jude Church. It is because no one really have seen Jesus in person except those that are already born during his times. The crucifix is a symble only of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. So i think instead of kissing the crucifix we might as well pray and thank Jesus for saving us.

I do not where a crucifix nor kiss them but I can understand why symbolically Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to all of you ... - 1 Peter 5:14 It shows where a persons heart is. Someone could get the wrong idea or maybe get a cold if we went around planting big ones on everyone.

I do see a lot of devoute who do this, i have nothing wrong against it, if it is something they think can be helpful for their faith so be it. But like you have said it can be a medium for such viruses to be transmitted..so i rather we refrain from doing it since i guess Jesus won't mind if we not do it.

With germs being so easily passed from one person to the next this is definitely something to consider. We must all be careful about picking up an illness from someone else. It is much easier to do now than it was when I was a child.

I think they do it as a sign of respect. I'm not pretending to totally get it. And I agree that it can be disgusting if you have sick people doing so before you. But, I think that is supposed to be the point.

Hi Shavkat: I think this is a way they practice their devotion. In Christianity the cross has a special significance. Even if it's an instrument of torture as someone said before in this discussion, in Christian symbols it also means sacrifice from a God to save humanity. Even if you don't agree with this personal demonstration of religiosity try to understand that for some people this could be a very spiritual moment where they connect with their values. ALVARO

It reminds me of an anecdote of this national hero of my country who refused to even dip his finger in the holy water when entering the church. It was only because it was unhygienic he said. The Spanish priests during that time gave this as one of the reasons why he was a heretic. That was in the 1800s.:)

Yes, that's true, shavcat. Dieseases can be transferred by kissing the crucifix which previously was kissed also by other persons. They are just fanatic Shavcat. Because of their ardent love for God, they do that and forget the consequences. I am a Roman Catholic too, but i don't kiss the images of the Jesus and the saints.

I don't think I would kiss a crucifix. It would be like kissing an electric chair or some other object of capital punishment. You are right about germs.

This is a wrong practice,which is followed by many people.You imitate Christ or know his great mercies rather than kiss all these icons.We should know that Jesus Christ wanted us to love our enemies and to help the lost and needy rather than kiss his image.

Well, don't worry I haven't heard of anyone getting a disease from a cross. The cross is the symbol of Christ and his love for us. Well, the important thing is to always carry sanitizer with us to prevent the spread of diseases and we need to watch our hands all the time.

Yes Shavkat to kiss the images of Jesus Christ or other gods is over homage. I'm a Buddhist. Buddhists don't kiss the image of Buddha. But do some excessive when they worship. This is nothing but blindness to religious faith. You rightly said, there is fear of spreading diseases through kissing of images.

From the church where I grew up attending mass every Sunday, crucifix of Jesus are sent out after the mass where parishoners can be able to kiss it. But right after one kisses the crucifix, the person holding it wipes the part where the last person have kissed it.

If you trust God then you will also trust Him that you will never get a virus by kissing the cross or an icon. Why they are doing it ? For the same reason you kiss a picture of a departed person you care about or an object belonging to that person.

I didn't grow up that way and I guess I never really asked why they do that, but I do know what you mean and I suppose yes germs could be passed that way.

Well in my own opinion it is because they very devoted and their faith drove them to do such action like kissing the statues and images the fact that it is not sanitized. Germs are everywhere most especially to this public places where images of saints are all over the place... but we can't stop them to pursue what they think they are doing to express their love and devotion to God.... Happy Easter...:)