orans

thumb|An early Christian painting of Noah praying in the gesture of orant right|thumb|Fresco in the Catacomb of Priscilla showing a Christian woman wearing a headcovering and praying in the orant posture thumb|Christian man praying in the gesture of orant, Catacombs of Rome#Catacombs of Domitilla|Catacombs of Domitilla, [[Rome]] 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 (): "I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument" (NRSV).

It was common in early Christianity and can frequently be seen in early Christian art, being advised by several early Church Fathers, who saw it as "the outline of the cross". In modern times, the orans position is still preserved in Oriental Orthodoxy, as when Coptic Christian believers pray the seven canonical hours of the Agpeya at fixed prayer times. The orans also occurs within parts of the Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies, Pentecostal and charismatic worship, and the ascetical practices of some religious groups.