Most of the funerary traditions are rooted in the distant past. Today people observe them unconsciously - simply because it is so customary. It is believed that you cannot kiss the deceased on the lips. However, few know why such a prohibition exists and what can happen to those who violate it.
Medical explanation
If we discard all superstitions and mysticism, then kissing the deceased on the lips is undesirable purely for hygienic reasons. Of course, at the time of the death of a loved one, relatives do not think much about this. They are simply crushed by the grief that has befallen them. Few people are able to think sensibly at such moments. However, it is still worth remembering that everyone who communicates with the body of the deceased, accompanying him on his last journey, exposes his health to a certain risk.
In the West, it is not customary to kiss the dead. This is an extremely rare occurrence. In the body of the deceased, already 6-9 hours after death, irreversible processes of tissue decay occur, which can be slowed down with the help of special chemicals or cold, but cannot be completely excluded. Close contact with the body can be dangerous. There are a number of bacteria that have a terrible characteristic: they are explosive in reproduction and development. From the dead body, they literally break out, covering the entire body, clothing, bedspread and walls of the room where the deceased is located in a few hours. At this time, relatives, friends and acquaintances approach the coffin.
For example, patients undergoing cobalt therapy, which is widely used today in the treatment of cancer, are kept in wards with very thick concrete walls. And when a person who has undergone such treatment dies, then his body is calmly given to relatives. Radiology, chemotherapy and other procedures are performed in such rooms where even medical personnel cannot access, and what can we say about people who died from hepatitis, meningococcal encephalitis, tuberculosis and similar deadly infections.
It turns out that bodies, which were dangerous to approach during their lifetime, are brought to an ordinary apartment, where they are kissed, touched and hugged. Of course, these rooms are not then treated with a special disinfectant solution. Some bodies become a real bacteriological bomb. Unfortunately, grief-stricken relatives do not think about this, so kissing the dead is dangerous for purely hygienic reasons.
Why you can't kiss the deceased on the lips - a mystical explanation
In Russia, it is customary to kiss the dead only on the whisk that lies on the forehead. It is believed that for forty days the soul of the deceased is still on Earth and is always present at the funeral. According to superstitions, with a kiss on the lips, the soul of the deceased can enter a living person, who will then have nightmares and various ailments.
Why you can't kiss a dead man on the lips - a psychological explanation
There are a lot of so-called knowledgeable people in Russia who, according to their inner conviction, know everything. This is especially true for grandmothers, who simply adore going to funerals and giving advice on how to behave to relatives and friends of the deceased.
It was this kind of people who made my friend kiss her deceased grandfather on the forehead. She recounted this incident on several occasions. She was then only 14 years old, transitional age, fragile psyche. Before that, she was very much afraid of the dead, and after she was literally forced to kiss her grandfather, this fear grew into a real phobia, from which she has not been able to get rid of for many years. So no one should be forced to kiss deceased relatives on the forehead or lips. It does not measure the strength of love or the severity of loss. Maybe a person is simply not mentally ready to kiss the dead, even if very beloved and deeply revered relatives.
