Foot-Kissing Ritua

In the ancient Middle East, the conquered would kiss the feet of their conquerors to express submission. “Foot-kissing” and “licking the dust off feet” were often part of a prostration ritual: “humbly bending the knee” or “kneeling before the ruler.” This custom originated from Eastern nations. Ancient Egyptians would prostrate themselves on the ground before their masters, smelling or kissing the earth. Persians had a tradition where anyone approaching the king had to prostrate themselves before him while praying, touching their face to the ground as if before a divine idol, indicating a posture of submission. This later became an honored ritual among ancient Roman Christians, though it is no longer prevalent. Currently, foot-kissing rituals mostly convey respect and veneration, such as the traditional foot-kissing performed by Nepalese people during major festivals. Both the Old and New Testaments contain accounts of foot-kissing. Isaiah 49:23 states: “Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you and lick the dust of your feet.”