Quote Originally Posted by silke View Post
This is too formal to be social-last. From an sx/sp view point you can make friends just as well without turning it into some kind of a public ceremony, the hidden point of which is seeking social approval.
I think you misunderstand the purpose of the ritual. The young Christian men that participated in the ceremony would have seen it as the ultimate expression of love for one's spiritual brother, as a promise to God to never part from him and to ensure a mutual path towards Heaven. It is platonic love at its most intense and rewarding.