Palms, Religion meaning?

I was told that open palms in religious paintings meant something once and I forgot what that was. Could you tell me what it means?

- Melissa, FL

Wireskin wrote us with this answer:

boring as it is here is the answer:

Dave Jantz shared his inspiration with us:

I may have found an explanation for the question on "open palms in religious paintings". I found an excerpt from biblical related text that reads:

"For there can be no gifts without needs, and only open hands can receive or give a blessing. Truly, God's power is made perfect in weakness, and it is weakness -- our need for each other and for God -- that permits us to rejoice in the mutual exchange of gifts that we celebrate today".