At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the priest holds out a cross and blesses the congregation, and people come forward to kiss it before leaving. It’s the final act of the service.
You’ll see this happen right after Communion and the dismissal prayers. The priest stands near the front (often by the icon of Christ or near the solea) holding a small hand cross. Sometimes it’s the cross from the altar. Sometimes it’s a larger processional cross. He gives the final blessing, “May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and loves mankind”, and then extends the cross toward the people.
What happens next is simple. People approach one at a time, make a small bow, kiss the cross, and step aside. Some folks make the sign of the cross first. Some bow deeply. The point isn’t perfect choreography but reverence.
Why we do this
The cross isn’t just a symbol in Orthodox worship. It’s the instrument of our salvation. When Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, He transformed an instrument of torture into the source of life. We don’t just remember that. We encounter it.
Kissing the cross at the end of Liturgy connects what just happened at the altar with the rest of your week. You’ve received Christ’s Body and Blood. Now you venerate the cross by which that salvation came. It’s thanksgiving and blessing wrapped together. You’re saying with your body what the hymns say with words: “We venerate Thy Cross, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.”
St. Helena found the True Cross in Jerusalem in the fourth century, and from that time forward Christians have venerated it publicly. The Church celebrates the Elevation of the Cross every September 14th, but we don’t reserve cross veneration for feast days. It belongs to every Liturgy because the cross belongs to every moment of Christian life.
This isn’t Communion
People sometimes get confused about this, especially if they’re new. The cross at the end isn’t a substitute for Holy Communion. It’s not “Communion for visitors” or a consolation prize.
Communion is the Sacrament, Christ’s actual Body and Blood. Only Orthodox Christians who’ve prepared through prayer, fasting, and recent confession can receive it. The cross blessing is different. It’s a blessing and an act of devotion, not a sacrament. Everyone can approach and venerate the cross, though if you’re not Orthodox you should know what you’re doing. Kissing the cross is an expression of faith in Christ crucified and risen. It’s not just a nice gesture.
If you didn’t receive Communion that Sunday, maybe you weren’t prepared, maybe you need to go to confession, maybe you’re still a catechumen, you can still venerate the cross. But don’t think of it as equivalent. Talk to your priest about preparing to receive the Eucharist. That’s the goal.
How to approach
Don’t overthink it, but don’t be sloppy either. When it’s your turn, walk up calmly. Make a small bow or the sign of the cross. Kiss the cross (usually the feet of Christ or the center). Step back. That’s it.
If there’s a line, wait your turn. If you’ve got kids with you, help them approach reverently but don’t stress if a toddler gets wiggly. The priest has seen it all. If you’re physically unable to bow, don’t. God knows your heart.
Some parishes in Southeast Texas have a hundred people trying to leave at once because folks have to get to lunch shifts or back to Vidor before the traffic backs up on I-10. The priest knows this. He’s not going to stand there for forty minutes. Sometimes he’ll move through the line efficiently. That’s fine. Reverence doesn’t require slowness.
What this means for you
The cross blessing sends you back into the world under the sign of Christ’s victory. You’ve been fed. You’ve been blessed. Now you go back to the refinery, back to the hospital, back to your family, carrying that blessing with you.
Fr. Alexander Schmemann wrote that the Liturgy doesn’t end when we leave the building. It extends into Monday morning. The cross you kiss on Sunday is the same cross you’ll need on Tuesday when work is hard or on Thursday when you’re tempted to lose your temper. Venerating it at dismissal isn’t just a nice ritual. It’s a physical reminder that you belong to Christ crucified and risen, and that reality doesn’t stop at the parish parking lot.
If you’re still figuring out what Orthodoxy is about, pay attention to this moment. We don’t just talk about the cross. We kiss it. We touch it. We let it touch us. That’s how the faith works, not as an idea but as an encounter.
