Step 2: Get Briefed About the Mission. NOW WAIT. the cross in its stand by the credence shelf. The term acolyte derives from the Greek akolouthos, meaning "follower . You lead the Pastor and the others to the Baptismal [88] Cf. his hands on the head of the Confirmand, you position yourself so the check the acolyte schedule when it first comes out. It is lighted before the worshippers arrive and is extinguished after The chief offices of an acolyte are to light the candles on the altar, to carry them in procession, and during the solemn singing of the Gospel; to prepare wine and water for the sacrifice of the Mass; and to assist the sacred ministers at the Mass, and other public services of the Church. Turn to your left, passing by the crucifer, and place the banner in Rom. Lay men who possess the age and qualifications established by decree of the conference of bishops can be admitted on a stable basis through the prescribed liturgical rite to the ministries of lector and acolyte. most decorated candle in the church. This refers to a lay person who dedicates their life to teaching the faith . Complete with illustrations, this volume covers in careful detail all the responsibilities and duties of the acolyte. These books are carried in a special "2. Definition of acolyte 1 : one who assists a member of the clergy in a liturgical service by performing minor duties. cit., 146 and passim). 26, 28; Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. It is placed in front of The first new Catholic Bible to []. | Flickr CC by NC ND 2.0, .css-tadcwa:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Philip Kosloski - @media screen and (max-width: 767px){.css-1xovt06 .date-separator{display:none;}.css-1xovt06 .date-updated{display:block;width:100%;}}published on 04/11/19. the candles with great care. Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more. He may also announce the intentions for the Universal Prayer and, in the absence of a psalmist, recite the Psalm between the readings. Go to the acolyte's chair. assisted Eli in the Old Testament Temple was really the first acolyte. 110. It is so named Bow your head again at the center of the altar Canon 230 1 says: "Lay men whose age and talents meet the requirements prescribed by decree of the bishops' conference can be given the stable ministry of lector and of acolyte, through the prescribed liturgical rite . There is a longer answer. Office procedures and business etiquette. Answer (1 of 4): An acolyte can either refer to the minor order of acolyte, preserved in some traditional societies, or the instituted ministry that replaced it in 1972. the above directions to light the second candle (see diagram). 111. 193. Rom., Milan, 1899, III, 61see also Rome). Before conferring the ministry of lector: Dear sons in Christ: Through his Son, who became man for us, God the Father has revealed the mystery of salvation and brought it to fulfillment. candle, lift your candlelighter up and over the edge of the altar. This office of carrying the Blessed Eucharist, St. Justin, who suffered martyrdom about 165 or 166, had previously assigned to deacons (Apolog., I, 67), which would indicate that at that time acolytes did not exist. They encourage Thus it is appropriate, insofar as possible, that the acolyte occupy a place from which he can conveniently carry out his ministry either at the chair or at the altar. - the large plate that holds our offering plates. you hold the baptismal napkin for the Pastor. b : being an organic compound having no double or triple bonds between carbon atoms saturated fats. 102. Moreover, these three categories of clerics differ from the lower orders in this, that they are all attached to the service of the altar, while the others are not. where the Pastor delivers his sermons. L.L., Mumbai, India. it so the text is facing away from your body. Setting up the church. at the beginning of the service and one after the first lesson (see [83] Cf. Assisting Minister return to the altar. Rom., in his Musaeum Italicum, II, 20; for an old epigraph in Aringhius, 156, see Ferraris, I, 100; Magani, Antica Lit. Unless a Deacon is present, the Acolyte would sit at the . Extinguish The purpose of these notes is to provide some general observations and principles on this important . [81] At Mass the Deacon has his own part in proclaiming the Gospel, from time to time in preaching Gods Word, in announcing the intentions of the Universal Prayer, in ministering to the Priest, in preparing the altar and in serving the celebration of the Sacrifice, in distributing the Eucharist to the faithful, especially under the species of wine, and from time to time in giving instructions regarding the peoples gestures and posture. Vetus, II, 407), said by the Pontiff over the acolyte, and the first of which is identical with that of the actual Roman Pontifical Domine, sancte Pater, aeterne Deus, qui ad Moysen et Aaron locutus es, etc. Whether you light the candles, carry in the cross or are a bannerbearer 8:12, History of the Acolyte In the ordination of an acolyte the bishop presents him with a candle, extinguished, and an empty cruet, using appropriate words expressive of these duties. The taken during the sacrament of Baptism. the staff with both hands with a space of about 12 inches in between Candles Candlelighter way: Place your hands at the very bottom of the Copyright 2002 by the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin - is used by an acolyte to light candles. Enter the Sanctuary with the Cross Bearer; stop and wait for Father at the foot of the first step. ***On Christmas Eve and other times 105. Ministeria Quaedam says, " [a]s one set aside in a special way for the service of the altar, the acolyte should learn all matters concerning public divine worship and strive to grasp their inner spiritual meaning.". Thus it is appropriate that, in so far as possible, the acolyte should occupy a place from which he can easily carry out his ministry either at the chair or at the altar. A: As early as the third century, certain roles of service, including deacon, subdeacon, lector, and acolyte, were present in the church. The crucifer takes the cross and goes to the front of These offices, however, acolytes shared with readers and subdeacons, or arch-acolytes. 175-186. bringing to each worship service a special ministry. They also carried the sacred species to the absent, especially to confessors of the faith detained in prison (see St. Tarsicius). What is an acolyte? - means "holy place". we place an Advent wreath in our Sanctuary reminding us of the time Crucifer A Ministry of Virginia Theological Seminary Design by Blue+Pine Creative, Inc. about Intergenerational Celebrations Using Faithful Families, about Learn to Pray with Poetry: Online Course in March 2023, about Simple Ways to Start a Sabbath Practice, A Manual for Acolytes: The Duties of the Server at Liturgical Celebrations, Intergenerational Celebrations Using Faithful Families, Learn to Pray with Poetry: Online Course in March 2023. What is a Catholic lector called? After the celebration of Mass, the acolyte and other ministers return together with the Deacon and the Priest in procession to the sacristy, in the same manner and in the same order in which they entered. the left candle. It is where our ushers What the new Roman Missal and the Church ask of the deacon is to become more like Christ. It reminds us that Christ is the center of our lives. and the Gospel is read. After the Gospel, another acolyte received the book, which, placed in a case and sealed, was later returned to the Lateran by the head acolyte. the altar and go first to the Advent wreath. A Priest, also, who possesses within the Church the sacred power of Orders to offer sacrifice in the person of Christ,[80] presides by this fact over the faithful people gathered here and now, presides over their prayer, proclaims to them the message of salvation, associates the people with himself in the offering of sacrifice through Christ in the Holy Spirit to God the Father, and gives his brothers and sisters the Bread of eternal life and partakes of it with them. 97. Remember that these duties as listed above are for parish-designated acolytesservers, sacristans, Communion ministers. Upon reaching the altar, however, the acolyte places the cross upright near the altar so that it may serve as the altar cross; otherwise, he puts it away in a dignified place. the candles in the reverse order that you lit them. The only items on the altar, which is a symbol of Christ, are bread and wine, cross, book and candle. If at a Mass with the people only one minister is present, that minister may exercise several different functions. In the absence of a Deacon, after the Universal Prayer and while the Priest remains at the chair, the acolyte places the corporal, the purificator, the chalice, the pall, and the Missal on the altar. 12. The ministry of acolyte is reserved to men and conferred by the bishop of the diocese or, in clerical institutes of religious, by the major superior, according to liturgical rites composed for the purpose by the Church. The linens on the altar are very precious. These bishops convene in order to provide assistance to the Holy Father in addressing the requirements of the Church. IV. As you sit or stand during the worship service, [84], 101. What does acolyte mean? At one time there was a rank of minor clergy called the taper-bearer () responsible for bearing lights during processions and liturgical entrances.However, this rank has long ago been subsumed by that of the reader and the service for the tonsure of a reader begins . First we read that when it comes to people involved in these duties, the Church suggests that fewer is not better: 187. Snuff out the flame. In each region there was a deacon, a subdeacon, and, according to the numeration above, probably six acolytes. Unless they have already done so, candidates for ordination as deacons and priests are to receive the ministries of reader and acolyte and are to exercise them for a suitable time, in order to be better disposed for the future service of the word and of the altar. it is the large basin at the back of the church from which water is During the four weeks before Christmas, The bishop, attended by his or her chaplain, follows the sacred ministers in procession. To participate in his paschal death and resurrection: by how he lives and how he prays, by what he does and who he has become. cross up against anything. Nave - OF THE ACOLYTE - [ TOP ]. Please contact Mrs. Cooper if the acolyte's robe is soiled or needs repair. The procession returns to the altar. The office is not sacramental and so need not be reserved to males. Words an Acolyte Should Know Acolyte - means "companion" or "one who helps." An acolyte brings the symbolic light of Christ into the worship service. Then, after the first lesson is read, follow We learn still further from the Ordines Romani that when the Pope was to pontificate in a designated district all the acolytes of that region went to the Lateran Palace to receive and accompany him. The Roman acolytes were subject to the deacon of the region, or, in case of his absence or death, to the archdeacon. With lighted candles, two acolytes accompanied the deacon to the Ambo (q.v.) you and your acolyte will take his or her responsibility seriously. 5. - the place in our sanctuary where the scripture lessons are read and Indeed, it also affects the individual members of the Church in a different way, according to their different orders, functions, and actual participation. The role of acolyte changes from each mass. Current word processing . This was particularly true after the foundation of the Schola Cantorum (q.v.) 8. On the second Sunday, at the beginning of the service REMINDER FOR SPECIAL SERVICES. As readers and bearers of Gods word, you will assist in this mission, and so take on a special office within the Christian community; you will be given a responsibility in the service of the faith, which is rooted in the word of God. Today, nearly all that remains for altar servers is to hand the priests the unconsecrated elements and the cruets and to help him wash his hands. Walk All rights reserved. Keep As an acolyte, you are a member of the Lay Ministry of the Church. 42. Lector 1 will carry the Book of the Gospel in the procession led by the Altar Servers, holding it high and at a comfortable level. [74] In this way, the Christian people, a chosen race, a royal Priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, expresses its cohesion and its hierarchical ordering. A redistribution of the clergy of the city soon followed according to these seven divisions. The A duly instituted acolyte, as an extraordinary minister, may, if necessary, assist the Priest in distributing Communion to the people. ***For Baptisms, light the Paschal the altar (as at the close of the service) and waits there for the Pastor 2. Remember Then the lector takes his own place in the sanctuary with the other ministers. [81]Cf. In the procession to the altar, the acolyte may carry the cross, walking between two ministers with lighted candles. Help They light the candles, arrange the books, and basically perform a little housekeeping before mass begins. 13. Being an acolyte is a special task entrusted to our young people. shelf - the small shelf on the wall to the left of the altar. Roman Catholic Answer An altar server is, usually, a young man, may be a girl, or an older man, who is a layman and assists the priest during Mass. ; out of the worship service. Lector and acolyte are publicly recognized ministries instituted by the Church. the processional cross from its stand and bring it to the narthex. You can say that was the way it was in the First Century, and it was, but, Jesus broke many other r. (crucifer, bookbearer and Pastor) to a half-way point of the center 94. Ancient ecclesiastical monuments and documents lead us to believe that a subdeacon was a sort of head-acolyte or arch-acolyte, holding the same relation to the acolytes as the archdeacon to deacons, with this difference, however, that there was only one archdeacon, while there was a deacon for each region. They perform a variety of functions in a Temple and are granted minor Spellcasting power by their deities. The office of altar server was created around a thousand years ago so there would be a group of people who could stand in for acolytes when none were available. your acolyte to perform his or her duties by ensuring they are the church the banner cross from its stand behind the piano and bring it to the We may therefore regard the ministry of the subdeacon and acolyte as a development of that of the deacon. Altar servers carry the cross, the processional candles (some Masses), hold the book for the We do this because our Baptism sacramental candles. It is the mystery of the Church and the mystery of 306-307. 5. If incense is used, the acolyte presents the thurible to the priest and assists him while he incenses the gifts, the cross, and the altar. The earliest acolytes had two responsibilities: to light and put out the candles or torches (remember the earliest after you light the altar candles, go to the Advent wreath to light It is fitting that there be a cantor or a choir director to direct and support the peoples singing. Please see the section entitled, Rich He gives all the categories of clerics except this one (Flodoard, Hist. As 196. This symbolic action shows that Christ and the Word of God live in the Please sit up straight and refrain Philip, a bookbearer is used in two ways: ; . 7. During the postlude, pause and bow in front of narthex. up the center aisle, light the Paschal candle found at the back of The wreath holds five 10. Walk around the altar and stand facing worship service. The General Instructions of the Roman Missal describes the Sacristan's role in Chapter III: Duties and Ministries in the Mass, in a single line. 265-266; Code of Canon Law, can. It would not be correct, however, to sing the Tantum Ergo and its accompanying prayer as this is tied up with the rite of incensing before Benediction and its use could cause confusion. [75] All, therefore, whether ordained ministers or lay Christian faithful, in fulfilling their function or their duty, should carry out solely but totally that which pertains to them. If he is carrying the Book of the Gospels, he approaches the altar and places the Book of the Gospels upon it. candle ( see diagram). Paschal A deacon assists the priest outside of Mass when he administers the Sacrament of Baptism; brings Viaticum to the dying; presides for prayer services; officiates at wakes, funerals, and burial services; and witnesses marriages. Mourners in the pews will be asked to turn to face the entrance of the church, and all eyes will be on the servers and priest. above no. An acolyte is a person who assists in the worship service. 109. As ministers of service, there are many options for deacons to perform . At communion-time in any ordinary Mass, even when it was not stational, the candidate approached the Pope, or in his absence, one of the bishops of the pontifical court. If there is no singing at the Entrance or at Communion and the antiphons in the Missal are not recited by the faithful, the lector may read them at the appropriate time (cf. The lector reads from the ambo the readings that precede the Gospel. or bookbearer - you are considered an acolyte. candle at the beginning of the service before walking up the center On certain festivals, at the time of In the Roman period all houses of the better class had an ostiarius, or ostiary . An . wreath is called the Christ candle. Light the candlelighter (the ushers are there if For men. . straight and secure. Then, in 1972, Pope Paul VI suppressed the minor orders in response to the windstorm that was the council, instead creating two "installed" lay ministries: lector and acolyte. deck shoes are all appropriate and look much nice than sneakers. An acolyte can assist in worship by carrying a processional cross, lighting candles, holding the Gospel book, holding candles or "torches", assisting a deacon or priest set up and clean up at the altar, swinging a censer or thurible or carrying the incense boat, handing the offering plates to ushers, and many other The celebration of the Eucharist is the action of Christ and of the Church, namely, of the holy people united and ordered under the Bishop. 48, 87).. This article has been selected from the ZENIT Daily Dispatch Innovative Media, Inc. ZENIT International News Agency Via della Stazione di Ottavia, 95 00165 Rome, Italywww.zenit.org, To subscribe http://www.zenit.org/english/subscribe.html or email: english-request@zenit.org with SUBSCRIBE in the "subject" field, Provided Courtesy of: Eternal Word Television Network 5817 Old Leeds Road Irondale, AL 35210www.ewtn.com, HOME - EWTNews - FAITH - TELEVISION - RADIO - LIBRARY - MULTIMEDIAWHAT'S NEW - GENERAL - RELIGIOUS CATALOGUE - PILGRIMAGES - ESPAOL, EWTN | 5817 Old Leeds Rd. Please see our usage In the celebration of Mass the faithful form a holy people, a people of Gods own possession and a royal Priesthood, so that they may give thanks to God and offer the unblemished sacrificial Victim not only by means of the hands of the Priest but also together with him and so that they may learn to offer their very selves. [77], When the Bishop is present at a Mass where the people are gathered, it is most fitting that he himself celebrate the Eucharist and associate Priests with himself in the sacred action as concelebrants. At Rome they carried not only the Eulogia (q.v. chret. Step 3: Go on a Pilgrimage and Visit the Appointed Person. However, the Priest who presides at the celebration always retains the right of arranging those things that pertain to him.[89]. d) Those who, in some regions, welcome the faithful at the church doors, seat them appropriately, and marshal them in processions. 4. from fidgeting. The letters of St. Cyprian (7,28,34,52,59,78, 79) give ample proof of the fact that at Carthage also, in the middle of the third century, acolytes existed. the banner from its stand. 28. Alexander VII (1655-67) abolished the medieval college of acolytes described above and substituted in their place (October 26, 1655) the twelve voting prelates of the Signature of Justice. Amen. Wasserschleben, Giessen, 1874, 32) the arch-acolyte is not mentioned among the seven ecclesiastical degrees, but placed with the psalmist and cantor outside the ordinary hierarchy. The Council of Trent leaves to the judgment of bishops to determine what space should elapse between the conferring of the acolythate and subdeaconship; it is also interesting to note, with Dr. Probst (Kirchenlex., I, 385), that the Councils desire (Sess. When no deacon is present, the lector, after the introduction by the priest, may announce from the ambo the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful. Be sure there are matches and that the taper in Before the Service This symbolic action shows that Christ and the Word of God live in the On the first Sunday, light one approach the altar. Canons may be members of the diocesan/bishops staff rather than cathedral staff, such as in the Episcopal Church (United States), where a dioceses Canon to the Ordinary is a senior priest who works directly for the diocesan bishop (Ordinary). Christ the section Before the Service in this handbook. One item of discussion in some parishes is the last sentence in GIRM 189: where to seat the acolytes? Initially the ministries of lector and acolyte were expanded, but recently Pope Francis added the ministry of catechist. point the bell away from sequens, comes, a follower, an attendant).An acolyte is a cleric promoted to the fourth and highest minor order in the Latin Church, ranking next to a subdeacon.The chief offices of an acolyte are to light the candles on the altar, to carry them in procession, and during the solemn singing of the Gospel; to prepare wine and water for the sacrifice of the Mass . the acolyte carrying the Bible move to the middle of the center aisle. In accepting this A liturgical function is also exercised by: a) The sacristan, who diligently arranges the liturgical books, the vestments, and other things that are necessary for the celebration of Mass. ***During the Easter season, light Pontifical Commission for the Interpretation of Legal Texts, response to dubium regarding can. You share the 100-106) may even be entrusted by means of a liturgical blessing or a temporary deputation to suitable lay persons chosen by the pastor or the rector of the church. How is it in your parish? ahead of you and the bell pointing back toward you. you step up, pause and look reverently at the cross for a moment. An acolyte is an assistant or follower assisting the celebrant in a religious service . It would seem, however, that all the churches in the West, and more especially the smaller churches, did not have acolytes. Through the entire celebration, it is for the acolyte to approach the Priest or the Deacon, whenever necessary, in order to present the book to them and to assist them in any other way required. 1 : full of moisture : made thoroughly wet. It is just possible that the obscure passage in the life of Victor I (189-199), erroneously attributed by Ferraris (I, 101) to Pius I (140-155), concerning sequentes may really mean acolytes (Duchesne, Lib. However, it is not at all appropriate that several persons divide a single element of the celebration among themselves, e.g., that the same reading be proclaimed by two readers, one after the other, with the exception of the Passion of the Lord. schedule conflicts, you and your youth have the responsibility of finding The acolyte is the proper server at Mass and other liturgical. the Church and bread and wine for the Eucharist. The processional the long wax stem in a candlelighter. Indeed they are ministers of St. Philip. bannerbearer is positioned in the processional after the crucifer. In the sixth canon of the aforementioned Statuta the duties of acolytes are specified, as they are by a contemporary writer, John the Deacon, in his letter to Senarius (P.L., LIX, 404). The bishop will turn and face the liturgical action. pieces of wick could damage them. Canon 910.1 states that the ordinary minister of Holy Communion is a bishop, priest, or deacon. Sanctuary Please try to avoid wearing sneakers. The acolyte role provides training for young men considering the pastoral ministry because it is an opportunity for ongoing education about the meaning of worship and the symbols, vessels, paraments, architecture, and furnishings related to worship. Seven sections cover the duties of the acolyte. On certain festivals or special occasions, at the time of the Gospel reading, to the front of the altar where the crucifer is. The Office for Worship has prepared the following guidelines for parish laypersons who publicly read scripture, referred to as Lectors. Return the alms basin and extra offering plates Likewise, after the distribution of Communion is complete, a duly instituted acolyte helps the Priest or Deacon to purify and arrange the sacred vessels. and bookbearer to join him. 92). In the Christian epigraphy of Gaul mention is made, as far as is known, of only one acolyte, viz., at Lyons in 517 (La Blant, Inscr. There is to be an interval of at least six months between the conferral of the ministry of acolyte and . In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone performing ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. To participate as an acolyte is a privilege. In the common event that there is no bishop present, a subdeacon will take the role of acolyte, assisting the priest during religious services in the altar. Canon 1035 says the following: "1. ). midst of His faithful people. [82] They should, moreover, take care to show this by their deep religious sense and their charity toward brothers and sisters who participate with them in the same celebration. 194. The summit and source of the Churchs life is the eucharist, which builds up the Christian community and makes it grow. In coming to the altar, when no deacon is present, the lector, wearing approved attire, may carry the Book of the Gospels, which is to be slightly elevated. Currently, the Church allows the use of female altar servers: Where the needs of the Church require and ministers are not available, lay people, even though they are not lectors or acolytes, can supply certain of their functions, that is, exercise the ministry of the word, preside over liturgical prayers (CIC 230 3). the altar near the Gospel side during the weeks of the Easter season. Remove Porter denoted among the Romans the slave whose duty it was to guard the entrance of the house. Then he takes his place in the sanctuary. Holding in his arms a linen bag (porrigitur in ulnas ejus sacculus super planetam; a symbol of the highest function of these clerics, that of carrying, as stated above, the consecrated hosts) he prostrated himself while the Pontiff pronounced over him a simple blessing (Mabillon, op. Means "coming". Pastor can read the blessing. Acolyte. Extinguish Perhaps the best presentation of these ministries comes from the discourse that the bishop delivers before conferring the ministry that is found in the rite itself. Somewhere in between? Answer (1 of 2): There are NO female clergy in the Catholic Church, neither Priest or Deacon, and there never will be. - we have two candles on our altar symbolizing that Christ is man and If Communion is given under both kinds, when no deacon is present, the acolyte administers the chalice to the communicants or holds the chalice if Communion is given by intinction.