Orans position

[David Hawthorne]

Is the use of the orans position in private prayer by Orthodox laity still common in the Middle East/ Meditterranean? It seems common in iconography and in the early Church but I am not sure whether it has ever been widespread among the Slavs.

[M.C. Steenberg]

Dear David,

Yes... but.

Inasmuch as the posture of prayer remains for Orthodox that of standing, facing the east, this ancient posture is retained. However, the full 'orans' position, with arms, bent at the elbow, raised up and open before God, is normally encountered (liturgically) only with the bishop / priest's invocations at the beginning of the anaphora; otherwise the people pray with their arms at their sides.

This is somewhat different 'in the cell', where prayer with arms upraised or outstretched may be more common.

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[Cyprian (Humphrey)]

The problem of asking what is common for people to do in private, is that it is done in private. Unless you want to poll a large segment of people, your guess is as good as mine.

Personal prayer, and the postures involved, are as unique and diverse as the people involved. I suspect you'll find little in the way of across the board standards. Many people do not advertise their private practises for all and sundry to speculate on.

That being said, I also suspect that hands held up in the "orans" position is not uncommon throughout the Christian world.

Monk Cyprian