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An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on.

Altar servers in the Catholic Church[link]

50 Altar servers, during a celebration of a 50-year-old church, Gennep, The Netherlands

Formerly, only men and boys could serve at the altar, but canon 230 of the Code of Canon Law promulgated in 1983 allowed local ordinaries to permit girls and women to do so (see Female altar servers). In the United States, the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska has not granted permission.^[1] The priest in charge of a church is not obliged to avail of the permission, where granted. Traditionalist Catholic groups such as the FSSP and the Institute of Christ the King and some individual priests do not. The practice is also not accepted by those who act independently of the diocesan bishops, as is the case with the SSPX.

The term "acolyte" is sometimes applied to altar servers, but in the proper sense means someone who has been received the ministry of that name, usually reserved for those who are to be promoted to the permanent or transitory diaconate. These must receive the ministry of acolyte, which historically was classified as a minor order, at least six months before being ordained as deacons.^[2]

Duties at Mass (ordinary form of the Roman Rite)[link]

In the ordinary (normal) form of the Roman Rite of the celebration of Mass, provided no instituted acolyte is participating,^[3] altar servers have the following responsibilities during

• Entrance: Servers are to act as thurifer with burning incense (if incense is used at the Mass), as bearers of lighted candles flanking another carrying the cross and as other participants in the entrance procession.^[4]
• Servers hold the liturgical books for the celebrant when he is not at the altar and is proclaiming the presidential prayers with outstretched hands. They bring and hold such things as books, thuribles, water and towel, plates, and microphones.^[5]
• Proclamation of the Gospel: At the preceding Alleluia or other chant, the thurible is presented to the priest for him to put incense in it,^[6] and then for the proclamation of the Gospel servers precede the priest or deacon to the ambo, perhaps carrying candles and incense.^[7]
• Beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist: Servers arrange the corporal, the purificator, the chalice, the pall, and the Missal on the altar,^[8] and then assist the priest in receiving the bread and wine and perhaps other gifts that are presented to him.^[9] They present the cruets of wine and water for the priest or deacon to pour some into the chalice.^[10] If incense is used, the thurible and incense are presented to the priest and, at least if there is no deacon, a server then incenses the priest and the people.^[11] When the priest then washes his hands standing at the side of the altar, a server pours the water over them.^[12]
• Consecration: A server rings a bell as a signal to the people shortly before the consecration and, where it is the local custom, rings the bell also when the priest displays the consecrated host and chalice to the people. If incense is used, a server incenses the host and the chalice while these are being shown.^[13]
• Sign of Peace: The servers receive the sign of peace from the priest or deacon within the sanctuary.^[14]
• Recessional: The servers accompany the priest as at the entrance procession.^[15]

If a bishop celebrates Mass solemnly, two servers, wearing vimpas, hold the mitre and the crosier, and present them at the appropriate times.

Duties in the 1962 form[link]

A Catholic priest or seminarian serving as a thurifer.

In Mass as in the 1962 Roman Missal, which is an authorized extraordinary form of the Roman Rite (Mass), altar servers have the following responsibilities at Low Mass and Missa Cantata.

• Mass of the Catechumens
  • Processional: Servers carry the thurible, incense boat, processional cross and candles (flambeaux) in a Missa Cantata.
  • After the sacristy bells are rung and first genuflection at the high altar, the server takes the priest's biretta, kisses it, and places on the Presidential Chair.
  • Post-Epistle: Servers move Missal from Epistle side of the altar to the Gospel side of the altar.

• Mass of the Faithful
  • Servers ring the altar bell once as the priest unveils chalice and places veil on altar.
  • Preparation of the chalice: Servers present the cruets of water and wine for the deacon or priest to pour in the chalice.
  • Lavabo: A server administers the water to the Priest as he ritually washes his hands.
  • Beginning of the Sanctus: Altar bell is rung thrice.
  • Canon of Mass: When the priest extends his hands over the chalice, serverds ring altar bell once, stand, take the bell, without genuflecting kneel on either side of the priest.
  • Consecration: At each consecration servers make a deep bow at the priest's first genuflection, and ring the bell once. During each major elevation, servers kneel erect, raising the back of the chasuble and ringing the bell thrice. During the priest's second genuflection, servers release chasuble, make a deep bow and ring the bell once. After the consecration, holding the bell, servers return to their posts and kneel.
  • Post Agnus Dei: Servers get patens from credence table and go back to posts with genuflections and kneeling. When the priest genuflects and says the triple "Domine, non sum dignus..." servers ring the bell thrice.
  • Communion: Follow priest with paten in hand and hand over breast for the Communion.
  • Ablutions: Get the water and wine cruets from credence table. For the first ablution at center of the altar, the server with the wine approaches as the priest tips the chalice toward the server. The server pours a little wine into the chalice, he bows and turns to his right and returns to the Epistle corner and wait for the priest. When the priest approaches for the second ablution, the server makes a moderate bow, pours a little wine over his fingers and then as much water as he desires. Then, with genuflections, switch the chalice veil from the Gospel side to the Epistle side with the Missal at the same time.
  • Ending procession: Same as Processional.

Vestments[link]

While ordained and instituted ministers must wear an alb (with cincture and amice unless the form of the alb makes these unnecessary), albs or any other appropriate attire, such as a cassock and surplice, may be worn by servers.^[16] Black and red are the most common colours for a server's cassock, if used.

Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches[link]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, altar servers assist the higher clergy during services. They might carry the cross, candles or liturgical fans in processions and entrances; maintain the censer, ensuring it has enough live charcoal, loading it with incense and handing it to the priest or deacon when required; preparing the hot water (zeon) in time for it to be added to the chalice at the Divine Liturgy; prepare the antidoron for the people to receive after Holy Communion; and any other necessary tasks so that the celebrant need not be distracted during the service. An altar server is vested in the sticharion only.

In the early Church, before someone could be a server he had to be tonsured. 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 a Reader" have now been combined into one service. It is the custom in some traditions, such as the Greek Orthodox or Melkite Catholic, to allow tonsured altar servers to also vest in the orarion, worn crossed over the back like that of a subdeacon but with the ends hanging parallel in front. Among the Russians, 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 receives Holy 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 the prothesis without a blessing. They may not touch the sacred vessels, the chalice and diskos (paten) at any time. They may not stand directly in front of the altar table or pass between the front of it and the iconostasis, but must cross between the altar and the High Place if they need to move to the opposite side.

Women may not serve in the altar except in women's monasteries. In that case they do not receive the clerical tonsure (though they must be tonsured nuns), and do not vest in the sticharion, but wear their normal religious 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 the Hegumenia (Abbess) is permitted to enter even if she is younger.

Other churches[link]

In lower Anglican churches, most Lutheran Churches, and in the Methodist Church, all who serve in the above positions are called acolytes.

In Anglo-Catholic and some Episcopal Churches however, 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 the Oxford Movement in the 19th century.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Altar servers

Christianity portal

• Photo of Russian Orthodox bishop surrounded by servers
• http://classic-web.archive.org/web/20071030003448/http://www.theimproper.com/Template_Article.aspx?IssueId=3&ArticleId=1116 Confessions of an Altarboy -Article by Matt Kindelmann
• SanctaMissa.org's Online Altar Server Tutorial with Video and Guides (1962 Roman Missal)
• Altar Server Guide
• Parent's Training Manual for Altar Servers Gives parents tips on how to prepare their children for serving at the altar
• Another Altar Server Manual
• Official Website of the Ministry of Altar Servers San Roque Cathedral, Diocese of Caloocan, Philippines
• Official Website of the Ministry of Altar Servers of Sto. Niño Parish, Taguig City, Philippines

v t e Order of Mass in the Roman Rite Forms Pre-Tridentine Mass · Tridentine Mass (extraordinary form) · Mass of Paul VI Types Missa Cantata · Coronation Mass · Chapter and Conventual Mass · High Mass · Low Mass · Nuptial Mass · Papal Mass · Pontifical High Mass · Red Mass · Requiem Mass · Missa sine populo · Votive Mass Introductory rites Vesting prayers · Asperges · Introit · Penitential Rite / Confiteor · Kyrie · Gloria · Collect · Dominus Vobiscum · Oremus Liturgy of the Word First Reading · Responsorial Psalm · Epistle · Gradual · Tract · sequentia · Alleluia · Gospel · homily · Credo (Nicene Creed) · General Intercessions Liturgy of the Eucharist Offertory · Orate fratres · Secret prayer · Eucharistic Prayer · Canon of the Mass (texts & rubrics / history) · Preface (Sursum corda / Sanctus / Hosanna) · Words of Institution (Transubstantiation) · Elevation · Memorial Acclamation / Mystery of faith · Epiclesis · Lord's Prayer · Embolism · Doxology · Sign of peace / Pax · Agnus Dei · Fraction · Holy Communion · Communion (chant) · Ablutions · Postcommunion (Thanksgiving) · Dismissal (Ite missa est / Benedicamus Domino) · Last Gospel Participants Acolyte · altar server (female) · bishop · boat boy · cantor · choir · crucifer · deacon · Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion  · laity (Eucharistic Congress) · lector · priest · subdeacon · usher Parts of the Sanctuary/Altar altar crucifix · ambo · altar rails · Credence table · lavabo · tabernacle · misericord · piscina · kneeler Altar cloths altar linens · corporal · pall · purificator · lavabo towel · burse · chalice veil · antependium Candles and lamps altar candle · altar candlestick · Paschal candle · sanctuary lamp · triple candlestick · votive candle Liturgical vessels aspergillum · ciborium · chalice · cruet · paten · pyx Liturgical objects altar bell · collection basket · flabellum · funghellino · holy water · incense (use) · processional cross · sacramental bread (wafer) · sacramental wine (or must) · thurible · water Liturgical books of the Roman Rite collectarium · evangeliary · lectionary (revised) · Roman Missal · Roman Pontifical · sacramentary Vestments (pontifical) Alb · chasuble · dalmatic · episcopal sandals · headcover · humeral veil · mantilla · manuterge · pallium · stole · surplice · tunicle · vimpa Concepts and actions Antiphon · Blood of Christ · Body of Christ · church etiquette · closed communion · commemoration · Communion and the developmentally disabled · Communion under both kinds · Crucifixion of Jesus (atonement) · ecclesiastical Latin · Eucharistic discipline · music · Eucharistic fast · First Communion · General Instruction of the Roman Missal · genuflection · grace (ex opere operato) · Host desecration · infant communion · In persona Christi · intercession of saints · intinction · Koinonia · the Last Supper · liturgical colours · liturgical year (proper) · Melchizedek priesthood · Order of Mass · prayer (effects of prayer) · Ordines Romani · Real Presence · reserved sacrament · responsory · Sign of the Cross · Sunday (Lord's Day) · viaticum Related Agape feast · benediction of the Blessed Sacrament · Catholic liturgy · Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments · Council of Trent · church music (Mass) · Corpus Christi (feast) · Ecclesia de Eucharistia · Epiousios · Eucharistic adoration · Eucharistic miracle · Eucharistic theology · Fourth Council of the Lateran · historical roots of Catholic Eucharistic theology · Holy day of obligation · Liturgical Movement · Missale Romanum · Mysterium Fidei (encyclical) · origin of the Eucharist · Pope Pius XII Liturgy Reforms · Pro multis · Quo Primum · Roman Catholic theology · Sacraments of the Catholic Church · sacristy · Summorum Pontificum · traditionalist Catholic · Tra le sollecitudini · Vatican II (Sacrosanctum Concilium) · Year of the Eucharist Catholicism Portal

His Eminence  Francis Arinze
Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Archdiocese	Velletri-Segni
Appointed	1 October 2002
In Office	21 April 2005 - 9 December 2008
Predecessor	Jorge Arturo Augustin Medina Estévez
Successor	Antonio Cañizares Llovera
Other posts	Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri-Segni
Orders
Ordination	23 November 1958 by Grégoire-Pierre XV Agagianian
Consecration	29 August 1965 by Charles Heerey
Created Cardinal	25 May 1985
Rank	Cardinal-Bishop
Personal details
Born	(1932-11-01) 1 November 1932 (age 79) Onitsha, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Previous post	Coadjutor Bishop of Onitsha (1965 - 1967) Titular Bishop of Fissiana (1965 - 1967) Archbishop of Onitsha (1967 - 1985) Pro-Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (1984 - 1985) Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giovanni della Pigna (1985 - 1996) President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (1985 - 2002) Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni della Pigna (1996 - 2005)
Motto	Regnum Christi floreat (May the Kingdom of Christ flourish)
Coat of arms

Francis Arinze, (born 1 November 1932) is an Igbo Nigerian^[1] Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, having served as prefect from 2002 to 2008. He is the current Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni (succeeding Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI) since 2005. Arinze was one of the principal advisors to Pope John Paul II, and was considered papabile before the 2005 papal conclave, which elected Benedict XVI.^[2]

Early life[link]

Arinze was born in Eziowelle, Anambra State, Nigeria, Africa. A convert from an African traditional religion,^[3] he was baptized on his ninth birthday (1 November 1941) by Father Michael Tansi, who was beatified by John Paul II in 1998. His parents themselves later converted to Catholicism. At age 15, he entered All Hallows Seminary of Onitsha from which he graduated and earned a degree in philosophy 1950. His father was initially opposed to his entering the seminary, but after seeing how much Francis enjoyed it, he encouraged him. Arinze stayed at All Hallows until 1953 to teach. In 1955, he went to Rome to study theology at the Pontifical Urban University, where he ultimately earned a doctorate in sacred theology summa cum laude. On 23 November 1958, at the chapel of the university, Arinze was ordained to the priesthood by Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian, pro-prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and future cardinal.

As priest[link]

After ordination, Father Arinze remained in Rome, earning a master's in theology in 1959 and doctorate in 1960. His doctoral thesis on "Ibo Sacrifice as an Introduction to the Catechesis of Holy Mass" was the basis for his much used reference work, "Sacrifice in Ibo Religion", published in 1970. From 1961 to 1962, Arinze was professor of liturgy, logic, and basic philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary. From there, he was appointed regional secretary for Catholic education for the eastern part of Nigeria. Eventually, Arinze was transferred to London, where he attended the Institute of Education and graduated in 1964.

As bishop[link]

Francis Arinze became the youngest Roman Catholic bishop in the world when he was ordained to the episcopate on 29 August 1965, at the age of 32. He was appointed titular bishop of Fissiana, and named coadjutor to the Archbishop of Onitsha, Nigeria. He attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council in that same year along with the 45 year old Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II. Following the death of the Archbishop of Onitsha in February 1967, Arinze was appointed to the position a few months later, on 26 June 1967. He was the first native African to head his diocese, succeeding Archbishop Charles Heerey, an Irish missionary.

As archbishop[link]

The new Archbishop did not have much time to settle into his office before the Nigeria-Biafra War broke out. The entire archdiocese was located in the secessionist Biafran territory. As a result of the war, Archbishop Arinze had to flee his see city of Onitsha and to live as a refugee, first in Adazi and then Amichi, for the three years of the war, which lasted from 1967 to 1970.

Despite his own refugee status, Archbishop Arinze worked tirelessly for refugees, displaced persons, the sick and the hungry, offering support to priests and religious, and giving the faithful hope for the future. With the help of foreign missionaries, he supervised what one international relief worker called one of "the most effective and efficient distributions of relief materials" in history. He also took care to keep the Church separate from the ongoing political conflict, gaining the respect of all factions in the country.

Francis Arinze was still Archbishop of Onitsha when the Nigeria-Biafra war ended in 1970. As a part of Biafra, Onitsha and its people had suffered greatly in the three-year war. The homes and businesses of the people had been devastated, and the already poor region was sinking deeper into poverty. The end of the war did not mean an end to the challenges facing the young Archbishop.

The Nigerian government deported all foreign missionaries stationed in the archdiocese, leaving only the native clergy and religious, who were few in number. The government also confiscated the Catholic schools, most of which also served as churches or parish halls.

Impressed by Arinze's many accomplishments as the leader of an archdiocese with few resources, and his ability to work side by side with Muslims in a country that is majority Christian (the fearful refusal of Muslims in the north, where they are a local majority, not to allow religion and ethnicity to feature in the recent census in Nigeria is viewed by analysts as an acknowledgement of the Christian numerical superiority in the country as a whole), and with a strong and not-to-be-ignored Muslim population, Pope John Paul II in 1979 appointed Arinze pro-president of the Vatican's Secretariat for Non-Christians, later renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Archbishop Arinze continued as the ordinary of his archdiocese, and was the unanimous choice of his brother bishops for President of the Nigerian Bishops Conference in 1984.

A year later, the people of Onitsha organized a pilgrimage to Rome when they learned that Archbishop Arinze would be named a Cardinal at the Consistory of 25 May 1985. At the age of 53, Cardinal Arinze was among the youngest members of the College of Cardinals.

As cardinal[link]

On 8 April 1985, Arinze resigned from his post in Onitsha, and the Pope named him a Cardinal-Deacon of San Giovanni della Pigna, little more than a month later in the consistory held on 25 May 1985; he was raised to the rank of Cardinal-Priest in 1996. Two days following his elevation to Cardinal Deacon, Arinze was appointed President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, holding the office until 1 October 2002, when he was named Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. All major Vatican officials automatically lose their positions during a sede vacante, and so, the cardinal lost his position on 2 April 2005 due to the death of the Pope.

Cardinal Arinze actively catechises via Familyland TV to the Americas, the Philippines, Africa, and Europe. He has produced over 1,700 television programs with the Apostolate for Family Consecration. The programs cover almost all of Pope John Paul II's encyclicals and apostolic letters, Vatican II, and many other topics. He is also the author of several books along with a complete "Consecration and Truth Catechetical Program" for children and adults.

Styles of Francis Arinze
Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	Velletri (suburbicarian see)

Arinze was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. He returned to his post as Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments when confirmed by Benedict XVI on 21 April 2005. Four days later, on 25 April 2005, he was advanced to Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni, which had been vacated by the ascension of Cardinal Ratzinger to the papacy. On 9 December 2008 Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Arinze as prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship. His successor, who took office that same day, is Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera.^[4] He remains active and in 2009 gave the commencement address at the Augustine Institute in Denver.

Cardinal Arinze will be eligible to participate and vote in any future conclaves occurring as the result of any period of sede vacante (such as might be caused by the death of Pope Benedict XVI), provided that such period begins prior to his 80th birthday on 1 November 2012.

Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue[link]

Arinze's service on the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue thrust the Cardinal into a position of increased visibility to the world public. This post is largely considered to have made Cardinal Francis Arinze's career. Arinze was created cardinal just before taking the post. He then served in various related capacities including the President of the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops. Accordingly, leadership of the Council is seen by some as a career-maker in the global Church.

His status also rose within the Church. As a member of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 he worked closely with individual bishops and priests throughout the world and further impressed Pope John Paul II, who on 1 October 2002, made him Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

He also received honours in this capacity: On 24 October 1999 he received a gold medallion from the International Council of Christians and Jews for his outstanding achievements in inter-faith relations. He traveled extensively and became a popular speaker in the United States.

Cardinal Arinze became even more visible to the world public as a member of the Committee of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. In that capacity, he worked closely with individual bishops and priests throughout the world in preparation for the rare celebration of the Church. Pope John Paul II was greatly impressed with the leadership of Cardinal Arinze and on 1 October 2002, he became Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. On 25 April 2005, Pope Benedict XVI further honored Cardinal Arinze by naming him Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni, replacing Benedict himself in that titular see.

Publications[link]

• The Family Catechism on Tape, Apostolate for Family Consecration
• Divine Providence: God's Design in Your Life (2005)
• Building Bridges: Interreligious Dialogue on the Path to World Peace (2004)
• Cardinal Reflections: Active Participation and the Liturgy (2005)
• The Holy Eucharist (Our Sunday Visitor, 2001) ISBN 0-87973-978-9
• The Church in Dialogue: Walking With Other Believers (1990)
• Meeting Other Believers: The Risks and Rewards of Interreligious Dialogue (1998)
• Celebrating the Holy Eucharist (2006)
• Religions for Peace (Darton, Longman & Todd, 2002)
• God's Invisible Hand: The Life and Work of Francis Cardinal Arinze, Ignatius Press, 2006
• Great Figures in Salvation History: David and Solomon, an interview with Cardinal Arinze and Roy Schoemann, Ignatius Press, 2006

References[link]

External links[link]

• Cardinal Arinze bio
• Xclusive 20 minutes with Cardinal Arinze