Acrucifer orcross-bearer is, in some Christian churches (particularly theRoman Catholic Church,Lutheran Churches,Anglican Communion, andMethodist Churches), a person appointed to carry the church'sprocessional cross, across orcrucifix with a long staff, during processions at the beginning and end of the service.[1] In these Christian denominations, the crucifer is a role assigned to a certainacolyte oraltar server.
The term "crucifer" comes from theLatincrux (cross) andferre (to bear, carry). It thus literally means "cross-bearer". Use of the term "crucifer" is most common in the Lutheran and Anglican churches, as well as in certain Catholic congregations.[2] In theCatholic Church, the usual term is "cross-bearer", which is employed in certain Lutheran congregations as well.[3]
In theLatinCatholic Church the function of the crucifer/cross-bearer was generally carried out by asubdeacon untilPope Paul VI decreed in hismotu proprioMinisteria quaedam of 15 August 1972 that "the major order of subdiaconate no longer exists in the Latin Church". In line with that document, the functions previously assigned to the subdeacon are now entrusted to theacolyte and thereader.[4]
A seventeenth-century Council of Milan stated that a crucifer should, when possible, be a cleric and that, if a lay person be selected, that "the most worthy of the laity should be selected for the office." For more solemn processions, the cleric should be vested inamice,alb, andtunic. On less solemn occasions he may just be vested insurplice. During the procession the staff is held with both hands such that the cross is well above the head. The cross-bearer leads the procession except when there is athurifer and is accompanied by two servers on the more solemn occasions.[3]
In theLutheran Churches, the crucifer is anacolyte who carries the processional cross.[2] Torchbearers stand to the side of the crucifer.[2] During the procession and the recession, the crucifer "holds the cross in an elevated and dignified manner".[5]
In theAnglican Communion, the crucifer is anacolyte who carries the processional cross.[1]
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