The kiss of peace in the Eucharistic liturgy and its symbolism The writings of the early church fathers speak of the kiss of peace, which was already in the 2nd century part of the Eucharistic liturgy. It was a practice in Rome at the time of Justin Martyr. At the beginning of the 3rd century the kiss occurred immediately after the prayers that concluded the Liturgy of the Word. Both in the East and the West women and men were separated in the assemblies of the faithful, and the kiss of peace

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... s given only by men to men and by women to women. Pope Innocent I insisted in 416 that the kiss of peace should take place after the Eucharistic prayer. St. Augustine speaks that after the Lord's Prayer the Christians embrace one another with the holy kiss. This is a sign of peace, "when your lips draw near to those of your brother". The kiss of peace in the Christian liturgy was exchanged for several centuries mouth-to-mouth. By the time of Gregory the Great, this gesture was being seen as a natural preparation for Communion. By the 10th century the kiss of peace has assumed a hierarchical position in the liturgy. It began with the bishop and descended through the ranks of the clergy to laity in the congregation. It was a symbol of unity, reconciliation, peace, love and also a symbol of hierarchical power and precedence. About the thirteenth century the use of the instrumentum pacis, or osculatorium, was gradually introduced. This was a little plaque of metal, stone, ivory or wood, generally decorated, which was first brought to the altar for the celebrant to kiss and then taken to each member of the congregation. In the Tridentine Mass form of the Roman Rite, the sign of peace was given at Solemn Masses alone and was exchanged only among the clergy. The celebrant, placing his hands upon the arms of the deacon, presented his left cheek to the deacon's left cheek. At the same time he pronounced the words Pax tecum; to which the deacon replied, Et c [...]