Liturgical postures

[organist]

I have been reading Desmond Morris's "The naked man; a study of the human body" and now I know why torch bearers are asked to stand with one hand on their chest with the torch in the other hand. It is an ancient Greek posture assumed by slaves awaiting their master's bidding. He says a lot about bowing and hand gestures too and even includes a photo of the Pope washing feet. Apparently our feet betray the most about our mood so keep an eye on the celebrant's feet! If he is tapping his foot or waving a foot he is wanting to leave or at least get on with things! I have even seen a celebrant tapping the altar with his fingers during the Sanctus waiting for the music to end!
This is a really useful study if you are in a multinational congregation because the same gesture can mean opposite things to different nationalities!

[pirate]

Actually, when I was a server I used to watch the hands of celebrants (as in 'like the eyes of a serving girl on the hands of her mistress'). Never failed to twitch, relax or contract (the hands, that is, not me) at the end of the silence after Communion, so I could be ready to move with the book...

And, organist, don't you remember the priest who used to stand drumming his fingers on the altar if we were singing the Holy, holy?

[organist]

Indeed I do pirate!