Orans gesture at the Our Father

[Dan_Defender]

Where does this come from?

It is very ancient. It is depicted in the catacombs of Rome.

 

[PeterT]

Why does this concern people so much? Be happy people come and pray. I really don’t think God cares about the rest.

I wonder about this too.

Of all the things that one might complain about how the OF Mass is celebrated today, this is such a minor nitpick — at best. Yet threads are constantly being created on this forum about this very topic even though in the multitude of previous threads on this topic in this forum, it has been clearly determined that unless the local ordinary prohibits it, the Orans posture is allowed during the Our Father.

I wish people who don’t care for this posture during the Our Father just give this topic a rest. It’s usually allowed, so please come to terms with it.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Why does this concern people so much? Be happy people come and pray. I really don’t think God cares about the rest.

I have the same response to 90 percent of the threads on here complaining about some gesture or custom or practice currently permitted at Mass.

 

[InThePew]

Others include replacing “celebrant” with “presider”. Yes, both describe the priest’s role, but the latter de-emphasizes.

If anything it’s more intended to distinguish than de-emphasise since in concelebration each priest is equally and fully celebrating mas, however only one is presiding. Similarly, if a bishop celebrates mass he is supposed to always be the presider,

The clergy is de-emphasized; by simplification and reduction in the required vestments, the people perform parts of the Mass (the orans gesture, the prayers of the faithful, kiss of peace and so on), music is up to the people in large part, etc.

A lot of what you refer to were baroque additions stripped back as part of the simplification of the liturgy following Vatican II - the sign of peace is actually a very good example of how something overly complex was simplified. Priests’ vestments haven’t really changed at all (except in terms of style) other than the elimination of the maniple. Bishops’ vestments were simplified in order to move away from historical associations with temporal power as well as to simplify them.

Granted there are sadly some priests who adopt a minimalist approach to their vesture (I’ve even seen a priest wear just a stole over his clothing without an alb) and others who seem to have parted company with good taste some time ago; but that’s has far more to do with them as individuals than anything else.

 

[JW55]

I am assuming you are not speaking universally across the Midwest and possibly in your personal locality of the Midwest, only. I was living in the Midwest area during the 70’s and did see it used in most churches I happened to attend at that time. I saw it heighten in the 1980s.

Holding hands at that time really got crazy. I can remember people holding hands across the aisle and even those reaching behind them or over their head to grasp the person’s hand behind them.

I think a lot of the issue in the 70s was that there was a lot of confusion within the church itself as it was still adapting to the changes of Vatican II and exactly unsure of the extent of what those changes should be. It appeared there was much more of an attempt to adapt more protestant type practices during that period.

 

[C.Ray]

Of all the things that one might complain about how the OF Mass is celebrated today, this is such a minor nitpick — at best.

For what it’s worth I don’t recall having complained about the people taking the orans posture. I only asked where it came from and why people do it.

 

[JanR]

The few times I have prayed using the orans (Byzantine) open arms and palms up posture, the thought never even occurred to me to try to imitate the priest. I just felt this great sense of openness to God, and just naturally expressed it with open body language. Here on this forum is the very first time I’ve ever seen mention of it imitating or de-emphasizing the role of clergy.

No thought of it – no such intent. Just a heartfelt gesture of openness. That’s all.

 

[babochka]

The few times I have prayed using the orans (Byzantine) open arms and palms up posture, the thought never even occurred to me to try to imitate the priest. I just felt this great sense of openness to God, and just naturally expressed it with open body language. Here on this forum is the very first time I’ve ever seen mention of it imitating or de-emphasizing the role of clergy.

No thought of it – no such intent. Just a heartfelt gesture of openness. That’s all.

I’ve never prayed that way for the Our Father during the Divine Liturgy, but during the singing of Psalm 141 during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (" Let my prayer ascend to you like incense, with the lifting up of my hands like an evening sacrifice", I frequently do. It seems right and natural.

 

[JanetF]

I am assuming you are not speaking universally across the Midwest and possibly in your personal locality of the Midwest, only.

Like I said “IME” which is “in my experience”. Obviously we had different experiences,

 

[PeterT]

The few times I have prayed using the orans (Byzantine) open arms and palms up posture, the thought never even occurred to me to try to imitate the priest. I just felt this great sense of openness to God, and just naturally expressed it with open body language. Here on this forum is the very first time I’ve ever seen mention of it imitating or de-emphasizing the role of clergy.

No thought of it – no such intent. Just a heartfelt gesture of openness. That’s all.

Which wouldn’t surprise me is the main reason why the vast majority who pray in such a manner do so.