Q: I sent already this question on your blog, but maybe you have many more questions to deal with. Considering that the ordinations are approaching, I am taking it to your e-mail, hoping that I can have the answer before the ordinations.

You may have the original rite of ordination of priests in Latin and it might be different with the English translation. After the laying on of hands by the bishop and the concelebrant priests, we observe that all of them they keep their right hands raised, until the end of the Prayer of Ordination. I have checked in the ritual, I can’t see this.

Does it have any meaning for the ordaining Bishop? Maybe to make a link with the Prayer of Ordination?
What about for the concelebrating priests? Is it correct for them to keep the right hand raised until the end of the Prayer of Ordination? If yes, What does it meaning of that gesture?

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A: I didn’t receive that question. I’m afraid some questions get lost in the blog. We’re changing platforms, and I hope that resolves the issue. Thank you for patiently contacting me again.

You are correct that the prayer of ordination does not call for the concelebrating priests to raise their hands (130). They first impose hands on the candidates and then go to their places without blocking the view of the faithful. For the ordination prayer, the bishop extends his hands (131), and he does this alone.

It’s possible that in your country the conference of bishops has urged something else, but I think it’s more likely that the priests are confusing this prayer with the one for the consecration of chrism at the Chrism Mass. The Order of Blessing the Oil of Catechumens and of the Sick and of Consecrating Chrism has the concelebrating priests raise their right hands midway through the consecration of chrism and to keep them raised through the end of the prayer (25).

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Q: Yet, my question remains. What about the bishop keeping also his right hand raised while the priests are laying on their hands on the candidates. Is that correct? I am not talking about the bishop raising his hands for the ordination prayer as in 130. My question is about the bishop keeping also his right hand raised before the prayer of ordination, while the concelebrants are laying on their hands on the candidates.

Once again, thank you

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A: No, the bishop does not keep his right hand raised as the concelebrants impose hands. #130 says that the priests impose hands “after the Bishop has laid on hands.” 

#131 then gives the bishop instruction to extend his hands for the prayer. 

There are no rubrics for him to do anything with his hands after he has imposed them and before he extends them. While the priests impose hands, the bishop’s hands are most appropriately folded.