Orans Posture: Why you should stop doing it
- The Moral Coalition
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
When you go to Mass, especially a Catholic Mass, you may see many people imitate the priest by holding up their hands with their palms facing upward or outward. Wikipedia describes this simply as:
"Orans, a loanword from Medieval Latin orans translated as "one who is praying or pleading", also orant or orante, as well as lifting up holy hands, is a posture or bodily attitude of prayer, usually standing, with the elbows close to the sides of the body and with the hands outstretched sideways, palms up. The orans posture of prayer has a Scriptural basis in 1 Timothy 2 (1 Timothy 2:8): "I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument" (NRSV)." (wikipedia.org)
You may see many laypeople during Mass imitate this pose, while you may notice many other laypeople simply fold their hands or put their hands into a praying position.
But the main question is: Which one should you follow?
The truth is, laypeople should not imitate the Orans posture.
According to the ICP Practical Provisions 6 §2, "neither may deacons or non-ordained members of the faithful use gestures or actions which are proper to the same priest celebrant." This also applies to saying parts of the Eucharistic prayer that are reserved for the priest, but that would be a longer topic to get into.
If you are thinking to yourself "But if so many people do it, then it should be fine for me to do it as well," that is not the case here. This practice is strictly forbidden by the laws of the Vatican. Although this will definitely not send you to Hell, you should still remain respectful at Mass and refrain from imitating the Orans posture.
Even in the Roman Missal, the instruction for hands to be extended only pertains to the priest(s) and not the laity. (catholic.com)
So please, while you are at Mass, refrain from using Orans posture, and instead fold your hands or put them into a praying position in respect.
