A second, marvellously expressive gesture of praise, is that of the orans wherein the person stands with head and hands uplifted, palms open and out. The posture would have been familiar to Jesus as the conventional Jewish form of prayer of his day. The figure at the right shows St. Apollinare in the orans prayer posture. He is wearing an alb, chasuble and pallium-stole. It is taken from the mosaic in the apse dome in the 6th century Church of St. Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy.
Many early pictures exist of people praying in the orans position.
The following dance anthem embraces a variety of expressions including the familiar kneeling and orans prayer postures. The anthem may be mimed by a single individual or, preferably, by a whole choir. Children, having learned the anthem, may teach it to their congregation or offer it as a lovely act of community devotion in the Holy Communion liturgy. In the latter case, the choir might be disposed slightly forward and to the left and right of the communion table. During the Great Thanksgiving, they are facing the presiding minister with the congregation.