But Futterman said papal blessings were likely intended to be given with an open hand, rather than a fist, and dove deeply into cultural, religious, and art history to support his theory.

Pope Francis delivers his blessing to faithful during the Angelus noon prayer from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015. AP/Riccardo De Luca ...

A study of anatomy, art, religion, and culture overturns the popular explanation for the papal hand of benediction posture. An anatomy professor says an ulnar nerve injury suffered by St. Peter ...

Popes unwittingly mimicked a saint’s partial paralysis every time they gave a blessing for decades, a new study has revealed. The study, published in the journal Clinical Anatomy, debunks an … ...

Pope Francis delivers his Sunday Angelus blessing from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square on Jan. 12, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis has sustained an arm injury ...

Pope John Paul II, determined to show the faithful he is recovering from his latest health crisis, appeared in an open hospital window Sunday and vowed to continue his mission despite his age and ...

It'll be all eyes on the pope when Francis visits the U.S. next week, and if his past trips are an indication, we're likely to see a whole lot of waving and perhaps a handful of thumbs-up.