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Praying with Arms Outstretched
Praying with Arms Outstretched is the traditional posture for priests and bishops during the liturgy. The Ceremonial of Bishops, § 104 states: “Customarily in the Church a bishop or presbyter addresses prayers to God while standing and with hands slightly raised and outstretched.
“This practice appears already in the tradition of the Old Testament, and was taken over by Christians in memory of the Lord’s passion: Not only do we raise our hands, but we hold them outstretched so that by imitating the Lord in his passion we bear witness to him as we pray” [citing Tertullian, De Oratione, 14].
The U.S. Bishops have considered permitting the laity to mimic these gestures of the bishop or priest, but the Holy See has not approved.
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