Is it obligated in Catholic or Orthodox churches to strike one's breast while making confession, during Mass and/or sacrament of Confession? How old is this tradition? When is its earliest documented practice?
This picture shows an example of what I mean (notice the fist over the heart):
There is also a short Instagram video (of Cardinal Timothy Dolan), showing the meaning and how it is done.
I think the practice of striking one's breast as a sign of contrition was already known in Jesus' time on earth. He referred to it in the parable of the pharisee and the publican: "And the publican ... struck his breast saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner." [Luke 18:13]
On the tradition of striking breast during confession of sin?
Certainly, this tradition was known since the time of the apostles. Our Lord himself, once recounted in parable form the story of a publican striking his breast in repentance of his sinfulness. See Luke 18:13
Striking of the breast as a liturgical act is prescribed in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass during the Confiteor at the phrase "Through my fault" (three times), at the Nobis Quoque Peccatoribus (once), at the Agnus Dei (three times), and at the Domine, Non Sum Dignus (three times). With bowed head, except at the Nobis Quoque Peccatoribus, moderately and without noise, the celebrant strikes his breast with the right hand, the fingers being held closely together and curved or fully extended, as the rubrics are silent on this point; after the consecration, however, with the last three fingers only, since the thumb and index finger, which are joined, must not come in contact with the chasuble. At the Agnus Dei in requiem Masses the striking of the breast is omitted, to show that the celebrant is thinking of the departed more than of himself. The faithful are accustomed to this practice as well as the priest.
The early Christians were familiar with the practice, as St. Augustine and St. Jerome testify. "No sooner have you heard the word 'Confiteor'", says the former, "than you strike your breast. What does this mean except that you wish to bring to light what is concealed in the breast, and by this act to cleanse your hidden sins?" (Sermo de verbis Domini, 13). We strike our breast", declares St. Jerome, "because the breast is the seat of evil thoughts: we wish to dispel these thoughts, we wish to purify our hearts" (In Ezechiel, c. xviii). A warrant for these statements is found in the Psalmist: A contrite and humbled heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise (Psalm 51:19). The petitioner at the Throne of Mercy would chasten his heart and offer it as a sacrifice to God who healeth the broken of heart and bindeth up their wounds (Ps. cxlvi, 3). The ancient Christians were accustomed to strike the breast when they heard mention made of sensual sins; at the "Forgive us our trespasses" of the Pater Noster; and in detestation of the crime of the Jews, at the words of the Gospel, "Thou hast a devil", applied to Christ. - Striking of the Breast
Um... I'm aware of no such thing. Even searching for it has practically no results.
Many cultures associate the gesture of placing a hand on one's heart with honesty. The gesture indicates that one is not bearing arms, or that one appears to have genuine intentions, or is giving one's word of honor, or is pledging allegiance (Eibl-Eibesfeldt 1996).
As a cultural sign of honesty, perhaps it is done. But within the Orthodox church you would be doing other things instead.
Even if the internet might get awful ideas... this is what confession looks like at the end in the Orthodox Church. You might sit in the pews or on chairs and discuss your sins and the weights on your heart beforehand... unlike the catholics with their silly booth of being anonymous (confession is technically not private). But at the end, you kneel and receive the sacrament of confession through the priest.
Your hands will likely cross yourself. But this fist on heart thing is new to me, and not part of orthodox culture as far as I am aware.
35 Doctors of the Church ch. 8 on St. Jerome (d. 420):
One of the many representations of St. Jerome in art portrays him striking his breast with a stone in a gesture of contrition. Pope Sixtus V one day when passing this picture said: “You do well to hold that pebble in your hand, for without it, the Church would never have canonized you.”
Bernardino Luini, The Penitent St. Jerome (c. 1523):
Striking of breast is a reflex action of human body, and may trace its origin to Adam and Eve when they found their son Abel dead, or even earlier, when they were cast out of Eden. When a person goes short of breath- whatever be the reasons- the heart needs stimulation in order to pump better. For instance, when children cry loudly demanding something, they may fall short of breath which provokes them to beat the breast. A lady mourning the death of her husband cries aloud and beats the breast for the same reason.
During the process of resuscitation, the chest of the patient is pressed in a rhythmic manner so that he is able to breathe.
Somehow, beating of the breast got associated with expression of sorrow, over a period of time across nations and in religious practices.What we have during the recital of prayer of penitence, is a replica of the practice , meant to express publicly, our sorrow for having hurt God through the sins. One may never be able to trace the origin of its formal induction in prayers.
PS: In some places of India, there live a tribe named Rudali, the women of which are professional mourners. They loudly cry and beat the breast at any home where someone is dead, at a reasonable fee. Shia Muslims beat the breast to express sorrow during the Muharram procession, to commemorate the martyrdom of a religious leader.
