Borrowed From: St. John the Evangelist Orthodox Church, Beaver Falls
HOW TO GREET AN ORTHODOX PRIEST OR BISHOP:
1. Cup your hands in front of you. Place your right hand over your left, and turn your palms to face upward.2. Bow slightly at the waist and say, “Father/Master bless. ”Asking for a blessing lets the priest or bishop know that you wish to greet him, and he will bless you with the sign of the cross, extend his hand to you, and place it in your cupped palms.3. Kiss the back of the priest or bishop’s hand. This kiss serves as both a greeting and an acceptance of the blessing the priest/bishop has given you.
WHY ASK FOR A BLESSING?
We greet clergy by asking for and receiving a blessing for a couple reasons. First, it honors the sacred office of the priest or bishop. After all, the hands of these men touch the Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord. Their hands prepare the Holy Gifts for all of us, so we may partake of Holy Communion and experience God in His fullness. The Orthodox fully recognize that the priest is a man, and that he sins, just like we do. But though he is unworthy, he has received the Grace of God to impart spiritual gifts and blessings. Secondly, asking for blessings is a sign of a humble heart. It reveals a deep faith in the power of God. For example, the woman with a flow of blood touched Christ’s garment to obtain healing, and the Lord praised her great faith. The sinful woman kissed the Lord’s feet in repentance (Lk 7:38). And in the parable of the Prodigal Son, the father runs out to meet the repentant young man and kisses him (Lk 15:20). The Orthodox follow the examples of these individuals, approaching our clergy with humility and faith.