Quizzes & Puzzles4 mins ago
Praying Hands
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.This is only a thought, but perhaps the 15th century artist Albrecht Durer might have played a part with his beautiful image entitled "Praying Hands".
In the Bible, and also in Ancient Greece prayer was lying on the ground, kneeling, standing up - all over the place..... but the arms were always outstretched or lifted up with open palms, as in submission or supplication.
In the pentacostal/evangelical churches today this is still the most widely seen prayer posture. QM's thought of 'pointing heavenward' makes perfect sense, but from what I can remember the 'hands together' is used more by little ones than by adults.
Thank you for your response - interesting thought as alot of religious Icons have had a major influence - take the images of Christ for example. I confess to not being up to speed on my religions but don't Eastern religions tend to greet people with hands together - so maybe not just a Sunday School activity for children - all fascinating stuff - thanks again for the thoughts
To return briefly to my original point above, hands held in the standard western prayer-position are said to be 'steepled'. Normal steeples - often with a spire attached to accentuate the point - were initially incorporated in church buildings for much the same purpose. That is, to symbolise the upward-striving, pointing-to-heaven element of the congregation's devotions.
Surely this hand-position is the exact opposite of revealing open palms. Rather, it suggests something enclosed and specifically directed.
In numerous paintings ( and on gravestones) angels are portrayed with heads bent and hands together. Truly an act of reverence and submission, but the praying hands posture depends entirely on the artist, church, religion or just down to the individual. Personally, I still love Durer's image - very powerful.
Isn't the Japanese greeting also one of head bowed and hands together?