Analtar server is alay assistant to a member of theclergy during aChristian liturgy. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at thealtar such as fetching and carrying, ringing thealtar bell, helping bring up the gifts (the bread and wine to become the body and blood of Jesus Christ) and bringing up the liturgical books, among other things. If young, the server is commonly called analtar boy oraltar girl. In some Christian denominations, altar servers are known asacolytes.[1]
TheSecond Vatican Council'sConstitution on the Sacred Liturgy confirmed that altar servers featured among those who "exercise a genuine liturgical function" within services such as the Mass.[2] According to theGeneral Instruction of the Roman Missal, "Mass should not be celebrated without a minister, or at least one of the faithful, except for a just and reasonable cause."[3]
While the function of altar server is commonly associated with children, it can be and is carried out by people of any age or dignity.[4]
As in other churches,[5][6] altar servers are sometimes called acolytes in theLatin Church.[7][8]Pope Benedict XVI spoke of SaintTarcisius as "presumably an acolyte, that is, an altar server".[9] However, within the Latin Church, the term "acolyte" is also used in a more restricted sense, often specified as "instituted acolyte",[10] to mean an adult woman or man who has received theinstituted ministry of that name.[11][12] Acolytes in this narrower sense are not necessarily preparing for ordination as deacons and priests.[13] They are authorized to carry out some functions, in particular that of cleansing the Eucharistic vessels, that are not entrusted to ordinary servers.[14] Those who are to be ordained to thediaconate must be instituted as acolytes at least six months previously.[15] This ministry was long classified in the Latin Church as aminor order, as by theCouncil of Trent.[16][17] TheGeneral Instruction of the Roman Missal, which does not use the term "server" and instead speaks of altar servers generically among "other ministers", treats in detail of the functions of the "acolyte", often specifying "instituted acolyte".[18]
The1983 Code of Canon Law altered the juridical situation: without distinguishing between male and female, it declared: "Lay persons can fulfill the function oflector in liturgical actions by temporary designation. All lay persons can also perform the functions of commentator orcantor, or other functions, according to the norm of law."[19] On 30 June 1992, thePontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts issued anauthentic interpretation of that canon declaring that service of the altar is one of the "other functions" open to lay persons in general, without distinguishing between male and female.[20]
In reference to this authentic interpretation, theCongregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments sent on 15 March 1994 a circular letter to presidents ofepiscopal conferences, clarifying that the canon in question is only of permissive character. It does not require the use of female altar servers. It is thus for each diocesan bishop to decide whether to allow them in his diocese.[21] A later document from 2001 states that even if a bishop permits female altar servers, the priest in charge of a church in that diocese is not obliged to recruit them, since no one, male or female, has aright to become an altar server. The document also states that "it will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar".[22]
As priests in charge of churches are not obliged to avail of a diocesan bishop's permission in this matter, those belonging totraditionalist Catholic groups such as thePriestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, theInstitute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, theInstitute of The Good Shepherd, theSociety of Saint Pius X and the self-professed CatholicCMRI and some other priests do not.
In the United States, after the Arlington Diocese's decision to allow them, theDiocese of Lincoln, Nebraska in 2006 became the only diocese in the country that did not allow females to be altar servers.[23] However, it was joined by a church in theDiocese of Phoenix in August 2011, when it was announced that girls would no longer be allowed to altar serve.[24]
In the absence of instituted acolytes, some of their functions atMass may be carried out by altar servers.[25]
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The vestment common to all ordained and instituted ministers of whatever rank is analb, which is to be tied at the waist with acincture unless the alb is made to fit without cincture.[43] Acolytes, readers and other lay ministers (such as altar servers) may wear either an alb or other appropriate attire as determined by the localepiscopal conference.[44]
Servers often wearcassock andsurplice, with black and red being the most common colors for a server's cassock.[45]
In theLutheran Churches, altar servers (acolytes) have various responsibilities, such as ringing thechurch bells and lighting the candles in thechancel.[46] The various acolytes in the Lutheran Churches have different roles during the celebration of theMass:
Certain acolytes are assigned the role ofcrucifer orthurifer, who carry theprocessional cross andthurible respectively.[46] The torchbearer stands to the side of the crucifer to carry candles, during the procession and recession. The bannerbearer typically carries agonfalon in processions and recessions.[46] The Bible bearer is tasked with placing "the Bible on the altar or missal stand until the Gospel procession."[47][46]
Acolytes typically wearalbs and thecincture used may reflect the colour of theliturgical season in the Christian calendar.[48]
The role of the acolyte is considered important in Lutheranism as those who serve in these roles, typically youth, often develop an interest inholy orders.[46]
In theByzantine Rite, altar servers assist the higher clergy during services. They might carry the cross, candles orliturgical fans inprocessions andentrances; maintain thecenser, ensuring it has enough live charcoal, loading it withincense and handing it to the priest or deacon when required; preparing the hot water (zeon) in time for it to be added to thechalice at theDivine Liturgy; prepare theantidoron for the people to receive afterHoly Communion; and any other necessary tasks so that the priest need not be distracted during the service. An altar server is vested in thesticharion only.
In theearly Church, before someone could be a server he had to betonsured. Nowadays, in many places it is not necessary to be tonsured before one is allowed to serve (since the tonsure must be done by a bishop or higher-ranking priest). The rites of "Setting Aside a Taper-bearer" and "Tonsuring aReader" have now been combined into one service. It is the custom in some traditions, such as theGreek Orthodox orMelkite Catholic, to allow tonsured altar servers to also vest in theorarion, worn crossed over the back like that of asubdeacon but with the ends hanging parallel in front. Among theRussians, however, the orarion is not usually worn by servers, but only by duly ordained subdeacons and deacons, with the exception that laymen who are blessed to perform some of the functions of subdeacons may sometimes be blessed to wear the orar.
Before vesting, the server must fold his sticharion and bring it to the priest for him to bless. The priest blesses and lays his hand on the folded sticharion. The server kisses the priest's hand and the Cross on the vestment, and then withdraws to vest. Any server who has not been tonsured must remove the sticharion when he receivesHoly Communion, because communicants receive the Mysteries according to their order within the Church (so tonsured clergy vest while laymen remove their vestments). Before divesting at the end of the service, the server must receive the priest's blessing.
The minimum age varies by local circumstance, but boys must be mature enough to carry out their duties without disrupting the sanctity of the altar. Although it is common in North America for boys to act as altar servers, in some places this practice is virtually unknown and these duties are always carried out by adult men. In other places where altar servers are normally boys, adult men will not vest if called upon to serve. In yet other places, boys are not permitted to serve in the Altar on reaching their teens on the grounds that the young man is no longer innocent enough to serve in the altar.
Altar servers, regardless of age, are subject to all the normal restrictions for those not of higher clerical position. Anyone who is bleeding, or has an open sore, is not permitted to enter the altar. They may not touch the altar table or anything on it under any circumstances, nor theprothesis without a blessing. They may not touch the sacred vessels, the chalice anddiskos (paten) at any time. They may not stand directly in front of the altar table or pass between the front of it and theiconostasis, but must cross between the altar and theHigh Place if they need to move to the opposite side.
In general, women do not serve in the altar except in women'smonasteries. In that case they do not receive the clerical tonsure (though they must be tonsurednuns), and do not vest in the sticharion, but wear their normalreligious habit for attending services, and serve at a certain distance from the actual altar table. Normally, only older nuns may serve in the altar; but theHegumenia (Abbess) is permitted to enter even if she is younger. A few parishes have begun to use women as altar servers.
In Anglican churches ofAnglo-Catholic churchmanship and someEpiscopal Churches, the vast majority of roles associated with an altar server are the same as those in the Catholic Church, and the same titles for each individual role are retained from Catholic tradition – mostly restored during theOxford Movement in the 19th century.
Unlike the Roman Church, lay servers and sacristans were not conferred into the minor order, as defined by theCouncil of Trent. These orders were not continued in the Anglican tradition.
In theEastern Catholic,Eastern Lutheran,Oriental Orthodox, and in theAssyrian Church of the East andAncient Church of the East churches, altar servers are commonly young and often play a role in their church or community.
In manyMethodist churches,[49][50] all who serve in the above positions are called acolytes.
"Server" and "Acolyte" are often interchangeable words.
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