zlacker

>>Jaruze+(OP)
Another hand gesture you will frequently see in religious art is a figure (usually a Pope or bishop) pointing upwards with their index and middle finger. This is somewhat unnatural since you would generally point with your index finger alone. The use of two fingers represents the divine and human natures of Christ.

A few examples:

https://i2.wp.com/catholicism.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/fil...

https://jimmyakin.com/wp-content/uploads/st-augustine-and-fo...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_VIII#/media/File%...

It shows up in formal photographs of the Pope in the 20th century:

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ch3pBw3dBY0/WeG5Oo9_k1I/AAAAAAAAC...

And the TV series The Young Pope even included this gesture as a detail: https://youngpopesart.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/...

>>antogn+AX
The pope photo is not him pointing upward, he's doing the blessing. Imagine someone standing right in front of him and he's pointing two fingers at their head, then move to torso, then left shoulder, then right shoulder. Depending on the speed of the camera at that time, he might pose like that for a second just to take the photograph as if he's in the middle of the blessing someone. I've never seen priest doing it with one or three or four fingers.

Tldr: they're not pointing upwards, they're pointing to someone's head (the viewer of the painting/photography most likely)

I bet when they used one finger people were asking "me?" and then looked behind them to see if there is someone else. If priest uses two fingers it's obvious he's not pointing at you or someone behind you. It also helps if he points it little bit higher not just right between your eyes like a gun.

>>dvh+WZ
It's literally the hand sign of dual nature of Christ. Blessing or posing.

The Catholic Church has had quite a few years to solidify and formalize their rituals. Nothing a priest does during mass is accidental or coincidental. They go to school for these things.