www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology ALTAR SERVER? ACOLYTE?

Hello all!

my Local Byzantine Priest offered to let me Serve as and altar server at the next Divine Liturgy, I am currently a Latin Rite Catholic that has offten Served as and Altar Server in our mass but i have never seen what and Altar Server does in the Eastern Rite? can any of you tell me his dutys? what they wear, etc.. any help would be great

GOD BLESS

PS: the reason i can not just go and watch is because we dont have ANY servers there appranty at the mass i go to =(

My very best suggestion is to regularly attend to the nearest Orthodox Church for maybe a month...just to closely observe the activities of the Altar server.

There is a WHOLE LOT that the servers must do! It's very intensive involvment of the Divine Liturgy. You will be very busy in the altar area!

That's a far comparsion to the Latin servers who basically do nothing!!!

I had a friend who had the same problem, so I told him to go to the Orthodox Church and it helps him quite a lot!

I don't know if there's a book out there to instruct altar servers. But another thing, your priest can help you and teach you.

The priests in the Byzantine Church is far more relaxed, so if you make mistakes...don't worry. It's not like the Latin priest chastise or punishes altar servers for making mistakes.

Maybe when I have time...I can type out the things you have to do when serving in detail.

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine
"Sub-deacon" (not ordained but function like one )

[ 09-06-2002: Message edited by: spdundas ]

There was a wonderful video put out about 15 years ago by GOTELCOM (Greek Orthodox Telecommunications) regarding a young boys (Nicky) first day as an Altar boy. Its done wonderfully and explains the whole process and its meaning. I bought it way back when for the church school library and its still a popular item.
You might want to contact the GOA to see if its still available.

OrthoMan

ROCOR published a booklet sometime back that is pretty comprehensive and used in many Byzantine Catholic parishes. I don't have a copy if anyone knows the title of this booklet I invite him or her to post it for byzjohn.

--

byzjohn,

If you're winging it the main thing is to be attentive to the cues from the priest. He will tell you the specific times when to have the incense and incenser ready and you just bring them to him at those times. If he uses the zeon (teplota or hot water) he will also direct you as to the appropriate time to bring it to the holy table.

Stuart K has ample experience serving at the various liturgical services. Perhaps he can post a lengthier instruction?

Good luck!

Admin

thank you all so very much for your help! may i ask spuddeacon what a subDeacon is? and what he means when he says hes not ordained but functions as one? thanks alot!

While perusing the SVS Bookstore this afternoon, I came across this:

(Server's guide), The Divine Liturgy / Liturgy of Presanctified(Server guide)
$7.50, Publisher = St Mary's Cathedral Bookstore, 107 pp, includes glossary, directions/text,
Generally in Stock / OrderCode = PB-DILISE

Server's guide to the Divine Liturgy of Chrysostom and Basiland the Presanctified Liturgy. Directions for Hierarchical


Seems like just what you were looking for. The bookstore is at http://www.svots.edu/SVS-Bookstore/

In Christ,
mikey.

Dear Byzjohn, only someone ordained to the subdiaconate by a bishop through chierotesis should be called a subdeacon, regardless of what functions they perform. I'd be careful with that, Shane.

Unfortunately with the decline of the minor orders, we have this situation where altar servers perform some of the functions that a subdeacon used to perform. This is necessary since there certainly aren't subdeacons in every parish.

About books, my 12-year old son who has served since he was 6 really liked the booklet "The Divine Liturgy: A General Guide for Altar Servers" published by the ROCOR. You can send me a note if you want more info, mailing address, etc. I've looked it over and it's not too bad. I have collected a bunch of the Orthodox texts available for acolyte, reader, and subdiaconate rubrics over the years including pontifical rubrics.

[ 09-08-2002: Message edited by: Diak ]

I started to give you a bunch of details and then decided that it would just be more confusing than anything else.

Why not go over to the parish on Saturday and have the priest walk you through it? I think that would be the best way to learn, especially since there are probably little nuances which are particular to each priest and each parish. For instance, we ring the bells at our parish and the altar servers have to attend to this. Your parish may not do this.

I am sure that your priest will, like our priest, be there to give you hand signals or even tell you what he wants. There is form, but not extreme rigidity. I don't mean to sound sacriligous, and I take my duties very seriously, but some of the funnier moments I have had in my life have come at the altar. We are all QUITE human and mistakes happen. At the Feast of the Transfiguration a couple of weeks ago, we made so many gaffs that we couldn't stop grinning at each other. And I'm talking about THE PRIEST as well as the altar servers. The harder we tried, the worse things got.

Last weekend, the visting priest inadvertently bounced the kadilo off the front of the altar, scattering pieces of incense and burnt charcoal everywhere. It was only the grace of God that the hot coal didn't fly out with everything else!

In other words -- RELAX!!!! You will be just fine. My favorite phrase after we have messed something up:

"I'm sure the throne of God is still firmly in place in Heaven!"

Let us know how it goes. To serve the altar is a WONDERFUL honor and a most edifying experience!

Brother Ed

World's Oldest Altar Boy and so very thankful to God that I may serve Him thusly.

Brother Ed.

Please E-mail me somtime or E-mail me your E-mail adress or post it here and i will Mail you! mine is CityofGold1@aol.com =) im sure we can talk about lots of Altar Server stuff! well it went so great today! i loved it !!!! your Vestments for Servers are Amazing!!! and being so close to the Holy Altar was ,,well words cant describe the feeling i had! only two mess ups today. one was i knelt durring the consecration and Father said that we are to mimic the Priest in the Sancatuary so if hes not kneeling then we dont when we serve. and the other happned after the Liturgy... i was walking around and then went in the back to change and he motioned for me to come up to the sancatuary and i came up through the Royal doors the center doors! the Cantor freaked out and said NOOOO!!!!! the Priest just laughed and said no no no no! we dont enter through those doors john unless your a Priest, and sometimes deacons.. i said im soooo sorry! he said laughing its ok you dident know and you wherent struck by lighting. we all make this mistake once dont worry. but the Cantor was i felt really mean about the mistake. he seemed anal throught the whole liturgy even pointing out to my Wife my mistakes. ..oh well we always have one of those types even back in my Roman church LOL ill just ignorne him LOL i did like how i had to have Father Bless my Dalmatic and then i had to kiss the Cross on it before putting it on i felt very touched by that gesture! but i felt very bad about the mistake of walkign through those doors espchaly when he told me why you dont do it and the holyness of that area! ill trust God in his mercy knows i dident know and forgives me for my ignorance.

GOD BLESS!!!

john =)

I KNOW exactly what you are talking about when you speak of your experience at the altar. There is simply NOTHING in the world like it!! It will never happen, but I am just DYING INSIDE to go to seminary and become a priest!! What a life!! Serving the Bread of Life to other sinners and doing all the things to counsel with them, marry them, baptize them, and comfort them. Oh, I know it isn't easy, and there are parishoners who can (and often DO) make a priest's life a taste of hell on earth, but nonetheless.....

My Email addy is

stannrlc@mindspring.com

Please feel free to write to me so that we can converse.

As for your "foul ups", as I said, I am SURE that the throne in Heaven is still quite firmly attached and in place

Hey, the first time I served, when it came time to kiss the Gospel book, I made the Sign of the Cross and almost knocked the Gospel from Fr. Mike's hands!!! Boy, did he give ME a look!!!

And today, I got busy with preparations in the Sacristy and suddenly realized that I had not even lit the charcoal and the bells were ringing!!

Ay yia yai!!!

In God's providence, Fr. Mike was a bit held up, so I was able to get things going.

There's always grace for those who are just starting. Now -- after a YEAR of serving -- if you go through the Royal Doors again --

YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS!!

(Jest kiddin' jest kiddin')

Glad you had the experience. May God grant you many more joyful days of serving at His holy altar!!

Cordially in Christ,

Brother Ed - The Angry X Prot

[ 09-08-2002: Message edited by: Altar Boy ]

That's what is so great about our rite...with all of the music and motion you and the priest are often the only ones who know when a little slip-up occurs...as long as you keep moving, out the south door and in the north door, it'll be fine. Keep the kadilo going, the candles lit and it's all downhill.

The priest that taught my oldest son how to serve spent several years in Siberia in the gulags. He was incredibly gentle and patient, and as he told me once after Liturgy he was just happy to make it through the Liturgy without anyone getting arrested.

And after thirty years serving at the altar, I still literally tremble at the thought of what is going on.

"And after thirty years serving at the altar, I still literally tremble at the thought of what is going on. "

Especially when you look out and the Last Judgement and Christ on His Throne glaring at you (I much prefer the Panagia).

Dear John,
Glory to Jesus Christ!
The following is a summary of the training materials we have provided for altar servers.
The notes are used in conjunction with training sessions for servers and simply summarize their actions.
Hope you find it helpful.
Fr Deacon El
----------------------------------------

Altar Server Procedures

Server �actions�: Anticipate!

1. Prior to Liturgy:
Arrive & vest 15 minutes early PLEASE!!!
LEAD SERVER � Start Preparations, Plan Server Roles
Light Candles: Altar & Tetrapod
Light Kadila charcoal
Light Torches; take into Altar
Take Kadila to Table of Preparation; Incense
Plan Crossbearers, Torchbearers, etc.
any special instructions from priest/deacon

2. Divine Liturgy

Beginning of Liturgy
Prepare Kadila (1) for Deacon
Assist Opening Royal Doors

Little Entrance: Hymn of the Incarnation
�O Only Begotten Son and Word of God...�
Cross, Torches; Northern Servers Line up by North Deacon Door
Southern Servers � Join Procession in front of Deacon/Priest
Process out through North Deacon Door
�Short� route DIRECTLY BEHIND Tetrapod; �Balance� servers on 2 sides

End of Epistle Reading:
Prepare Kadila (2) for Deacon for Alleluia before Gospel

Gospel Reading:
Process out through nearest Deacon Door with Torches
Rapidia � Only Used for Priest; Deacon � Torches (no Rapidia)
one (or two) servers to hold Gospel

Homily:
Add 1 piece charcoal to Kadila
(others remain seated; this is not halftime)

Cherubimic Hymn and Great Entrance:
�Let us, who mystically represent the Cherubim...�
Prepare Kadila (3) for Deacon
Cross, Fans, Torches
Line Up by North Deacon Door � AFTER Deacon incensing is completed
1 Server for Kadila
Process Out through North Deacon Door
�Short� Route IN FRONT OF Tetrapod; Servers �Balanced�

Anaphora:
�Take, eat...�
Profound Bow
Drink of this All...�
Profound Bow
Immediately after, prepare Kadila (4) for Priest

Communion: as last people come to receive communion:
Prepare Kadila (5) for Priest

Dismissal
Assist Closing of Royal Doors
Process out to sanctuary: Servers first

3. After Liturgy:

Extinguish Candles (do not blow out; use proper tool)
Torches: Extinguish,
8:00 Servers: LEAVE IN SANCTUARY,
10:30 Servers: place in closet
Bring empty water & wine flasks to sanctuary;
Fill and place in refrigerator

4. During Liturgy:

Stand with Hands Folded Prayerfully
Make Sign of Cross at appropriate times
Open Deacon Door for Deacon exiting/entering altar

5. Additional:

Wear cassock your size, take home to wash/iron every 3 months
Check schedule for vestment color
Take home copy of schedule - good for 2 months
Sing, Sing, Sing!

Ah hah!!

There's a problem we have. We do not have a lead server, someone to "direct the traffic" as it were. We usually have the oldest of the young men take charge, or if there are several of them, they collaborate as to who is going to do what.

I am printing out the schedule from Deacon Fr. El Pekarik (with my profound thanks) and will suggest to Fr. Mike that he should appoint lead servers to eliminate some of the confusion.

Cordially in Christ,

Brother Ed