Ads
related to: acolyte altar server
Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell, helping bring up the gifts, and bringing up the liturgical books, among other things. If young, the server is commonly called an altar boy or altar girl. In some Christian denominations, altar servers are known as acolytes. [1]
As in other churches, in the Latin Church the term "acolyte" is also used of altar servers on whom no ordination or institution has been conferred. [13] [14] Pope Benedict XVI spoke of Saint Tarcisius as "presumably an acolyte, that is, an altar server". [15] Pope Francis changed canon law in January 2021 to allow female installed acolytes.
The development of the ministry of altar server has a long history. By the early Middle Ages, some of these ministries were formalized under the term "minor orders" and (along with the diaconate) used as steps to priestly ordination. One of the minor orders was the office of acolyte. [1] Altar servers are a substitute for an instituted acolyte.
Acolyte, therefore, is the highest of minor Orders, and whose chief duties are to carry candles in procession, to light the candles on the altar, and to assist the priest in saying the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (although the acolyte is not necessary for the effect of the Mass to take place; only the priest is required).
The boat boy or boat bearer is a junior altar server position found in Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican churches. The role of a boat boy is to assist the thurifer, the senior altar server who carries the thurible. [2] The boat bearer carries the incense boat , a small metal container, Latin navicula, which holds the supplies of incense.
During the Offertory, the acolyte, deacon or priest places the sacred vessels on the altar. The wine and water are taken in their cruets to the altar to be poured into the chalice. After the altar has been incensed (if incense is used), two servers wash the priest's hands. The priest holds his hands over the lavabo bowl and the first server (if ...
An instituted acolyte is an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion by virtue of his institution. [7] Such acolytes are, in practice, seminarians or former seminarians, or those in deacon formation, although canon law allows the ministry to be conferred on any lay people, men or women, who have the age and qualifications that the episcopal conference is to lay down.
On occasions when there is a shortage of altar servers, the newly ordained subdeacon may be required to serve at the Liturgy, in which case the taking of the blessed water to the people may be omitted, and he may be asked not to stay on the soleas but rather to assist with serving duties in the altar and at the entrances. [4] [5] [6]