Asking a Priest for a blessing is something that I wish i saw more of these days. Unfortunately, this custom has fallen out of practice for the most pat in the uniate church.
-How does one ask the blessing of a priest of bishop?
-Bow before him and hold out your right hand placed on top of your left (as if you were recieving the holy mysteries in a modern roman catholic church). The priest will then make the sign of the cross over you with his hand and then place it on your hands for you to kiss.
from the old believer prayer book:
Recieve with joy and as an honour the priest's blessing; that is, when he signeth thee in the form of a Cross upon thy forehead and thy breast and then upon thy right and left shoulders. Havig recieved this, do thou kiss his hand. If he doth not give thee his hand to kiss, ask and entreat him to let thee kiss it. Have I not told thee how great the priest is, and how great is the power of the life-giving Cross, which thou dost also trace upon thyself?
Remember, you are not only kissing a priest's hand but rather and instrument of God which is used to consecrate the Holy Mysteries. If you ask your priest for a blesing next Sunday he should be very edified, and if he does not know how to give a blessing, then teach him, and teach everyone you know.
All this to the greater glory of Almighty God.
the sinner ilya
