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Another hand gesture you will frequently see in religious art is a figure (usually a Pope or bishop) pointing upwards with their index and middle finger. This i

Another hand gesture you will frequently see in religious art is a figure (usually a Pope or bishop) pointing upwards with their index and middle finger. This is somewhat unnatural since you would generally point with your index finger alone. The use of two fingers represents the divine and human natures of Christ. A few examples: https://i2.wp.com/catholicism.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2000/12/Saint_Ambrose_of_Milan.jpg https://i2.wp.com/catholicism.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/fil... https://jimmyakin.com/wp-content/uploads/st-augustine-and-four-states-of-a-fraternity.jpg https://jimmyakin.com/wp-content/uploads/st-augustine-and-fo... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_VIII#/media/File%3ADankaerts-Historis-9264.tif https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_VIII#/media/File%... It shows up in formal photographs of the Pope in the 20th century: https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ch3pBw3dBY0/WeG5Oo9_k1I/AAAAAAAACw8/OwKF4oCfvekKvukHBKJtILG26slM7pDuACLcBGAs/s1600/Papst_Pius_XII.%252C_Kr%25C3%25B6nung_1939JS.jpg https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ch3pBw3dBY0/WeG5Oo9_k1I/AAAAAAAAC... And the TV series The Young Pope even included this gesture as a detail: https://youngpopesart.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/vlcsnap-1204-09-21-12h53m45s1382.jpg https://youngpopesart.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/...

throwawayForMe2 2y ago
It also frequently seen in images of the child Jesus.
dvh 2y ago
The pope photo is not him pointing upward, he's doing the blessing. Imagine someone standing right in front of him and he's pointing two fingers at their head, then move to torso, then left shoulder, then right shoulder. Depending on the speed of the camera at that time, he might pose like that for a second just to take the photograph as if he's in the middle of the blessing someone. I've never seen priest doing it with one or three or four fingers. Tldr: they're not pointing upwards, they're pointing to someone's head (the viewer of the painting/photography most likely) I bet when they used one finger people were asking "me?" and then looked behind them to see if there is someone else. If priest uses two fingers it's obvious he's not pointing at you or someone behind you. It also helps if he points it little bit higher not just right between your eyes like a gun.
- Loughla 2y ago
  It's literally the hand sign of dual nature of Christ. Blessing or posing. The Catholic Church has had quite a few years to solidify and formalize their rituals. Nothing a priest does during mass is accidental or coincidental. They go to school for these things.
  - fsckboy 2y ago
    >The Catholic Church has had quite a few years to solidify and formalize their rituals. so they retconned it?
fortran77 2y ago
> Another hand gesture you will frequently see in religious art is a figure (usually a Pope or bishop) pointing upwards with their index and middle finger. This is somewhat unnatural since you would generally point with your index finger alone. The use of two fingers represents the divine and human natures of Christ. At Disney employee training they taught me to point with index and middle finger (or my whole hand) too.
- sandworm101 2y ago
  That is less about the gesture than it is about avoiding a different gesture. Many cultures do not appreciate pointing with a single finger. So Disney wants their people to use two.
  - b112 2y ago
    I had thought it was more about pointing at a person with a finger was unwelcome, than pointing at a destination. I suppose in a crowded place such as an amusement park, you could inadvertently point at a person when giving directions?
- dpig_ 2y ago
  The use of two fingers represents the dual natures of Disney Channel and Disney Plus.
pulkitsh1234 2y ago
If you have played Elden Ring, There is an amazing video on the "two fingers" and "three fingers" by "The Tarnished Archaeologist" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hETam732CvY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hETam732CvY

throwawayForMe2 2y ago

It also frequently seen in images of the child Jesus.

dvh 2y ago

The pope photo is not him pointing upward, he's doing the blessing. Imagine someone standing right in front of him and he's pointing two fingers at their head, then move to torso, then left shoulder, then right shoulder. Depending on the speed of the camera at that time, he might pose like that for a second just to take the photograph as if he's in the middle of the blessing someone. I've never seen priest doing it with one or three or four fingers. Tldr: they're not pointing upwards, they're pointing to someone's head (the viewer of the painting/photography most likely) I bet when they used one finger people were asking "me?" and then looked behind them to see if there is someone else. If priest uses two fingers it's obvious he's not pointing at you or someone behind you. It also helps if he points it little bit higher not just right between your eyes like a gun.

Loughla 2y ago
It's literally the hand sign of dual nature of Christ. Blessing or posing. The Catholic Church has had quite a few years to solidify and formalize their rituals. Nothing a priest does during mass is accidental or coincidental. They go to school for these things.
- fsckboy 2y ago
  >The Catholic Church has had quite a few years to solidify and formalize their rituals. so they retconned it?

fortran77 2y ago

> Another hand gesture you will frequently see in religious art is a figure (usually a Pope or bishop) pointing upwards with their index and middle finger. This is somewhat unnatural since you would generally point with your index finger alone. The use of two fingers represents the divine and human natures of Christ. At Disney employee training they taught me to point with index and middle finger (or my whole hand) too.

sandworm101 2y ago
That is less about the gesture than it is about avoiding a different gesture. Many cultures do not appreciate pointing with a single finger. So Disney wants their people to use two.
- b112 2y ago
  I had thought it was more about pointing at a person with a finger was unwelcome, than pointing at a destination. I suppose in a crowded place such as an amusement park, you could inadvertently point at a person when giving directions?
dpig_ 2y ago
The use of two fingers represents the dual natures of Disney Channel and Disney Plus.

pulkitsh1234 2y ago

If you have played Elden Ring, There is an amazing video on the "two fingers" and "three fingers" by "The Tarnished Archaeologist" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hETam732CvY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hETam732CvY