Q: The 1984 Ceremonial of Bishops explains what “hands joined” means in detail in footnote 80, where it quotes the 1886 edition of this book. “Quando dicitur manus iunctas tenere, intellegitur: “Palmas extensas ac simul iunctas ante pectus habere, pollice dexteræ super sinistro in crucis modum posito””. You sometimes write “hands folded” for example at https://paulturner.org/blessing-the-deacon/ “His default position is hands folded.” The English translation of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal does not have “folded” but frequently has “hands joined”. I think “holds folded” conveys interlaced fingers that are not straight. I think footnote 80 of Ceremonial of Bishops conveys having fingers straight and not interlaced. The palms are extended. Do you agree?
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A: The terms can be used interchangeably, but your reading of the Ceremonial is correct. It probably applies to a priest presider as well, though neither the Ceremonial nor the Missal explicitly say so.
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