“There are some people who do not even touch the Icon when they venerate it. Others touch only their lips to the Icon when they kiss it. Here, like this. Did you hear anything? Well then, “speechless” are the lips. Whereas the devout person kisses the Icon and you can hear the sound of the kiss. In that case, the lips are “eloquent” with praise. It is not a matter of cursing when the verse says “speechless” but rather that those lips are without a sound, while the others are eloquent with sounds. When we look upon the holy Icons, our hearts should be overflowing with love for God and for the Saints, and we should prostrate ourselves to venerate them and kiss them devoutly.”

– ‘Spiritual Awakening’

Interior View Xeropotamou monastery, Mount Athos, Halkidiki, Greece