Only Clergy Venerate the Gospel Book

Liturgically, in the Latin rite, the veneration of the Gospel book is a gesture of the deacon or priest who has read it, or of the bishop if he is presiding over the liturgy at which the Gospel is read. In some local rites of the Mass in the Latin Church, the Gospel book is venerated by all the clergy in choir during the singing of the creed and also kissed along with the altar at the beginning of Mass.

In the Byzantine rite, the Gospel book is also venerated by the people at Matins, and it may be placed on the analogion or stand for icons to be venerated before and after going to confession. Generally, the Gospel book in venerated open in the Latin rite and closed in the Byzantine rite.