ACOLYTES

The celebration of Holy Communion is “the principal service of Christian worship of the Lord’s Day” (BCP, 104). An acolyte serves Christ and his Church through humble service and exemplifying pious worship. In preparation for service, consider meditating on the account in John’s gospel of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.

Eucharistic Roles:

  • Celebrant (Leads Worship, Celebrates the Eucharist)

  • Deacon (Reads the Gospel, Leads the Prayers of the People, Sets the Table)

  • Crucifer (Carries the Cross) 

  • Gospeler (Carries the Gospel Book, Assists with Setting the Table) 

  • Thurifer (Carries the Thurible)

When there is more than one priest the one not celebrating typically serves as a Deacon if there is not a Deacon present. When there is only one acolyte he or she will serve as the Lead Acolyte, but when two or more are present the Gospeler will serve as the Lead Acolyte.


Forms of Reverence: At the name of Jesus Christ bend the head down with the neck. At the altar bow from the waist. As able, during confession genuflect (kneel on one knee). When the celebrant crosses himself, cross yourself as well. This is generally at the invocation of the Holy Trinity, during the Sanctus (at ‘blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord’), and during the Eucharistic canon (‘… be filled with your grace and heavenly benediction…’ in the Anglican Standard Text; ‘Sanctify us also…’ in the Renewed Ancient Text). Also cross yourself when receiving a blessing or absolution.

BEFORE WORSHIP & PROCESSION

  • Vest by 8:45 for the first service or 10:30 for the second service. All Acolytes should wear a cassock and surplice.

  • One of the acolytes will light the candles on the altar six minutes before service begins. Light the candlelighter, walk slowly to the altar, reverence at the altar, light the epistle candle first (right side facing the altar), then the icon candles from right to left, then the gospel candle (left side facing the altar), reverence at the altar again, and return to the back.

  • Gather with the clergy at 8:55 or 10:40 to pray in the sacristy. Then go from the sacristy to the back of the sanctuary. Ensure the side door is closed.

  • The Crucifer should hold the cross so that his or her top hand is about nose height to ensure the cross is elevated while processing. Do not let the cross rest of the ground.

  • The Gospeler should hold the Gospel Book slightly above his or her face and straight up while processing. When waiting to process hold it at chest level.

  • If present, the Thurifer will lead the procession when the Celebrant signals by walking reverently to the altar followed by the Crucifer, the Gospeler, the Deacon, and then the Celebrant. Without a Thurifer, the Crucifer will lead the procession at the Celebrant’s signal following the same order. Upon reaching the altar the Thurifer will step to the left of the center, the Crucifer will walk to the right end of the altar, the Gospeler will walk to the left end of the altar, the Deacon will step to the right, and the Celebrant will stand in the center.

  Altar

Gospeler   Thurifer   Celebrant   Deacon   Crucifer

  • The Crucifer and Gospeler should not reverence at the altar when holding the Gospel Book or Cross. The Celebrant, Deacon, and Thurifer will reverence at the Altar. The Crucifer will then bring the cross to its holder at the right side of the room and the Gospeler will place the Gospel Book upright on the left side of the altar (parallel with the Altar Book). When turning, always turn to the right. The Celebrant, Deacon, and Thurifer will then proceed to cense the altar and people.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

  • During the reading of the lessons, if one of the lectors is absent, an acolyte should be prepared to substitute as a reader.

  • At the Celebrant’s signal, the altar party will approach the altar, reverence in parallel at the lectern, and the Crucifer will take the cross and stand at the right side of the altar while the Gospeler takes the Gospel Book and stands on the left of the altar. The Gospel Reader will come and stand between the Acolytes and reverence at the altar. The Crucifer will lead the processional to the middle of the sanctuary with the Gospeler following. Once in the center of the aisles the Crucifer will stop and turn around toward the altar. When the Crucifer stops, the Gospeler stops and turns toward the Gospel Reader. The Gospeler will hold the Gospel Book open towards the Reader. The Reader will elevate the book and then return it to the Gospeler’s hands. The Gospeler will hold the book for the Reader to read, then the Reader will elevate the book again, kiss it, and return it to the Gospeler’s hands.

  • After the reading of the gospel, the Crucifer will wait for the Gospel Reader and Gospeler to turn aside, then he or she will process back to the altar and wait for the Gospel Reader and Gospeler to arrive as before. After the Gospel Reader reverences the altar, the Crucifer will put the cross back in its holder. The Gospeler will follow the Crucifer and place the Gospel Book on the back of the Credence Table and then sit down.

  • After the Creed the Deacon will lead the Prayers of the People. If there is no Deacon present the Celebrant or person appointed leads the Prayers of the People.

THE OFFERTORY & CONSECRATION

  • At the beginning of the offertory the Celebrant will set the Table with the assistance of the Gospeler.

Altar Acolyte
Celebrant

  • When giving or receiving things from the Celebrant come to the right side of the Celebrant and bow. The Lead Acolyte should receive the burse and veil and take them to the credence table. Next the Lead Acolyte should proceed parallel to the lectern to receive the Eucharistic elements and bring them to the credence table. The bread should be brought to the Celebrant first, the lid of the ciborium having been removed at the credence table.

  • The Lead Acolyte will remove the tops from the cruets and then bring them to the Celebrant. Hold them so that the handles face towards the Celebrant with the wine in your right hand and the water in your left hand. The Celebrant will receive the wine first and pour it into the chalice before returning the cruet to your right hand. Then the Celebrant will bless the water and receive it from the Lead Acolyte. After the Celebrant has poured a little water into the chalice he will return it to the Lead Acolyte. The Lead Acolyte will then return both cruets to the credence table.

  • The Lead Acolyte will place the lavabo towel over his or her left arm and the lavabo in his or her left hand. With lavabo, towel, and water in hand, the Lead Acolyte will go to the Celebrant and pour a little water over his hands. The Celebrant will take the lavabo towel from the Lead Acolyte to dry his hands. Then the Celebrant will replace it. The Celebrant and Lead Acolyte will bow to each other. Repeat this with the Deacon or second Priest if present. The Lead Acolyte will then return the lavabo bowl, the towel, and the water to the credence table. The Lead Acolyte will then take the boat from the credence table and give it to the Thurifer.

  • The Crucifer may remain at their seat and the Gospeler may remain at the credence table.

  • The Celebrant will cense the altar and then the Thurifer will cense the people. After censing the people the Thurifer should return the thurible to its stand and wait at the front row to receive communion.

  • When the Doxology begins, the Lead Acolyte will stand parallel with the lectern and wait for the offering. Upon receiving the offering, he or she will hand it to the Celebrant who will bless and receive the offering with the Offertory. The Lead Acolyte will then receive the offering from the Celebrant and place it under the credence table and then return to his or her position.


DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION

  • The Celebrant will distribute the elements to clergy first and then the Acolytes and Music Team. If there are at least two clergypersons present they will distribute Holy Communion while the Lead Acolyte waits at the credence table. If only the Celebrant is present, the Lead Acolyte will bear the chalice after receiving Communion. Hold the chalice in your right hand and the purificator in your left, following the Celebrant as he communes those near the altar and then standing on his right when distributing to the People. If there are two acolytes the Crucifer will return to his or her seat after receiving Communion.

  • Do not give the chalice to anyone, but always hold it while the communicants consume the wine. Wipe the rim of the chalice with the purificator after each person consumes and rotate the chalice about ¼ turn. As the wine is distributed to those who drink from the chalice say, “The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation.”

  • If you run out of bread or wine assist the Celebrant in gathering the needed elements at the altar. He will consecrate the elements at the altar (pg. 102 or 110 of the Altar Book, pg. 141 of the BCP) before resuming distribution.

  • At the conclusion of the distribution of the elements, bring the chalice to the credence table. As the Celebrant consumes any remaining bread bring the remaining blessed water to him from the credence table. The Celebrant will pour any remaining crumbs into the chalice from the paten and ciborium before adding a little water to the paten and ciborium and pouring it into the chalice (the Celebrant may gesture for the Lead Acolyte to pour the water for him). The Lead Acolyte may receive the paten and chalice from the Celebrant and wipe them with a purificator. The Celebrant will consume the remaining elements from the chalice, add a little water to the chalice to consume any lingering elements, and then wipe the chalice clean with a purificator. The Celebrant will place the used purificator over the chalice, place the paten on top of the chalice, and give it with the ciborium to the Lead Acolyte to return to the credence table. The Celebrant will fold the corporal and place the pall on top before handing them to the Lead Acolyte to return to the credence table. The Lead Acolyte may then return to his or her chair.

RECESSIONAL

  • The Celebrant will pray the Post-Communion Prayer and give the Blessing. Following this the Celebrant will return to his chair for the recessional hymn. The Thurifer will take the thurible from its stand and wait for the Celebrant’s signal.

  • When the Celebrant indicates, the Gospeler will take the gospel book from the credence table and stand on the left side of the altar, the Thurifer will stand to the right of the Gospeler, the Celebrant to the right of the Thurifer, the Deacon to the right of the Celebrant, and the Crucifer to the right of the Deacon. The Thurifer will lead the recessional after the Celebrant and Deacon bow at the altar.

  • Following the recessional the Crucifer will take the candlelighter and reverently walk to the altar, bow, and extinguish the candles from left to right. After extinguishing the candles, bow, and return the candlelighter to its stand.

  • The Deacon will give the dismissal, after which the Acolytes may assist the altar guild in preparing the table for the next service.