Instrumentum Pacis

Instrumentum pacis At the pax tecumn (q.v.) in sacred mass, the celebrant of the mass gives to the deacon the kiss of peace, which the latter gives to the subdeacon, and then it is transmitted successively to the other inferior clergy present. Since Innocent III's time it is customary to use for this purpose an image of the crucified Christ, which is handed to the different clergy for the purpose of bestowing upon it the kiss in token of brotherly love (such are also used at the coronation of Roman Catholic princes), and the image is therefore called instrumentusm pacis, 'the instrument of peace." See Theol. Univ. Lex. 2, 410.

⇒See also the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.