The role and responsibilities of the altar man in the liturgy may date back to the third century: Pope Benedict XVI spoke of St. Tarchisium as “presumably an assistant, that is, an altar man”. Although this function is usually associated with children, it can be performed by people of any age or origin. Many do not understand who the altar is, his functions remain unclear, and the origin of this dignity is completely fanned by the darkness of history.
In catholicism
The practice confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV in 1775 on the exclusion of women from priesthood service at Mass celebrations is currently not being followed. In 1994, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments clarified that, in accordance with the revision of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, altar service should be considered one of the liturgical functions (lecturer and cantor), which, according to Canon 230 § 2 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, can performed by people of both sexes.
At the same time, the Congregation indicated that this canon of the Code of Canon Law is only permissive and does not oblige women altar women to have official duties, which, in essence, are no different from the functions of altar boys. In 2006, the only American diocese that excluded women from altar service was in Lincoln, Nebraska. Even where the bishop does not restrict permission granted by general canon law, the priest in charge of the church is not required to abide by it. Traditionalist Catholic groups such as the FSSP and the Institute of Christ the King and some individual priests, for example, do not.
The bottom line is
The term "altar boy" is sometimes applied to altar ministers, but in a more precise sense it means "installed assistant." In the “General Instruction of the Roman Missal,” the term “altar boy” is interpreted as different from the term “minister”, while the duties of the altar men are also different.
If a priest holds a mass in which the congregation does not help him, he should not do this without an altar boy, unless absolutely necessary.
In the absence of established assistants, some of their functions at the Mass can be performed by altar ministers.
The duties of the altar include keeping liturgical books for the priest when he is not at the altar and reads the main prayers. They bring and store things such as books, vessels, water and lavaba towels, vessels for storing consecrated bread, and microphones.
Responsibilities during the processions
The input procession is carried out using a turrier with burning incense (if incense is used for mass) and a crusader with a cross, which is surrounded on both sides by other ministers with candles. All this is the responsibility of the altar man at the liturgy.
Gospel reading
When incense is sprayed, the altar sings along to the priest during the chant. Altarmen carrying lighted candles accompany the pulpit, deacon, or priest who reads the gospel.
Gift Preparation
One or more altars, whose duties include any work in the church that helps to organize the priest’s altar (in the service of the mass without the participation of the deacon, the priest performs the functions assigned to the deacon). If, as far as appropriate, bread and wine for the Mass are presented by believers, the altars help the priest or deacon who receives these and possibly other gifts to carry them and put them in the right places, for example, on the altar. They serve mugs of wine and water to the priest or deacon so that he will pour them into the bowl.
If incense is used, the altar gives them to the priest, who blesses the gifts, the cross and the altar, after which the deacon or altar bless the priest and people. When the priest washes his hands after this procession, standing on the side of the altar, the altar pours water for him.
Consecration
The altar boy rings the bell shortly before the consecration, usually in the epiclesis (when the priest reaches out for gifts). According to local custom, he also rings the bell when, after the consecration of bread and wine, the priest reveals the flesh of Christ, and then the cup of wine.
Peace sign
In addition to the duties of the altarman at the all-night vigil, his duties also include the storage of a special “peace sign”. A priest or deacon can give a sign of peace to the altars while remaining in the sanctuary.
Holy Communion Spread
In some churches, altars help in the spread of Holy Communion. They treat the people gathered in the church with bread and wine, symbolizing the flesh and blood of Christ, respectively.
Duties of the altar man in the Orthodox Church
Altarists accompany a priest or any other representative of the clergy at the input procession, with the exception of the altar who works as a terrier at the entrance, and in this procession follows the crusader. If the Orthodox bishop solemnly holds the Mass, two altars dressed in pennants hold a miter and a cross and serve them at the right time.
Vestment
In addition to the duties of an altar boy in the Orthodox Church, they are also entitled to special vestments. This rule applies to all other churches. The vestment common to all ordained and appointed ministers of any rank is a mantle that should be tied to the waist with a belt, unless it is made in such a way as to dispense with it. Altarmen, reciters, ponomari, and other lower church dignitaries may wear either an alb or other suitable clothing defined by the local bishop's conference.
Altarians often wear a cassock, with black and red being the most common colors.
Byzantine Orthodoxy
In the Byzantine (Greek) rite, altars help the higher clergy during the service. They can wear a cross, candles, or liturgical attributes during the procession and during the exit to the altar, support the censer so that it has enough living charcoal, season it with incense and pass it on to the priest or deacon when necessary. They are also involved in the preparation of hot water (zeon) for its addition to the cup at the Divine Liturgy, and the preparation of an anti-defense for people who will receive it after Holy Communion. They perform any other necessary tasks that help the priest not to be distracted during the service.
In addition, the duties of an altarman at an all-night vigil include maintaining order in the church and lighting candles, as well as regular prayers.
Early christianity
In the early Church, before anyone could become an altar boy, he needed to be cut. At present, in many places it is not necessary to be trimmed before anyone is allowed to serve, since the tonsure must be performed by a bishop or a priest of a higher rank. The altarnik and its functions described above, in fact, have not practically changed over the 2000 years of the existence of Christianity and are only slightly different in different churches. In some traditions, such as Greek Orthodoxy or Melnik Catholicism, customs allow the shorn altars to also live in the Ararion, wear symbols in the form of a cross on their backs, like those of the Underground, but with ends hanging parallel in front. In Russian Orthodoxy, however, the orarion is usually not worn by altars, but only by properly ordained subdeacons and deacons.
Canonical subtleties
Before embarking on his duties, the altar man must lay down his stearion and bring it to the priest so that he blesses him. The priest blesses and puts his hand on the folded sticar. Altar kisses the hand of the priest and the cross on the vestments. Any altar boy who has not been tonsured should remove the stearion when he receives the Holy Communion, because all the clergy, regardless of the rank, receive the Communion in accordance with their order in the Church. Before his departure from the service, he must receive the blessing of the priest, because following all the formalities is also the responsibility of the altar.
Age of the Altar
The minimum age depends on local circumstances, but boys must be mature enough to fulfill their duties without violating the sanctity of the altar. Although in North America it is customary for boys to act as altars in the church, in some places this practice is virtually unknown, and these responsibilities are performed by older men. In other places where altars are traditionally boys, adult males are not allowed to play this role.
Some shrines provide for the fact that boys are not allowed to serve on the altar after reaching adolescence on the grounds that the young man is not young enough to serve on the altar.
Subordination and Prohibitions
Altar workers, regardless of age and gender, are subject to all normal restrictions imposed on clergymen of low rank. Anyone who bleeds or has an open wound cannot approach the altar. They cannot touch the altar table or anything on it under any circumstances without blessing. They cannot touch the sacred vessels, the cup, and everything else. They cannot stand directly in front of the altar table or pass between it and the iconostasis, but must cross the altar if they need to move to the opposite side. Discipline control among the "altar boys" is the responsibility of the senior altar boy.
Women's issue
In general, women do not serve on the altar, except for convents. In this case, they do not receive a clerical tonsure (although they should be tonsured nuns) and do not put on a sticarion, but continue to attend services and serve at some distance from the actual altar table. Usually only senior nuns can serve in the altar.
Reforms of the 70s in the Catholic Church
Until 1972, altars were considered the owners of the highest of the four junior dignities. By decree of Pope Paul VI Automation quaedam of August 15, 1972, the term "junior dignity" was replaced by the term "ministry." These two “ministries,” such as readers and altars, should be present throughout the Latin Church throughout the world. The prescribed interval, as decided by the Holy See and the National Episcopal Conference, must be observed between people receiving these dignities. Candidates for the deaconate and priesthood must first serve in these ministries and fulfill all the duties of an altar-keeper before becoming eligible for a higher dignity. These two ministries are not reserved exclusively for candidates for clergy, but may be a good start for a career in the church. In the Orthodox Church, the situation is not too different from the Catholic. Ministries are appointed either by the bishop or, in the case of religious institutions, by the head of the church.
The duties of the altar in the Catholic Church are described in the decree motu proprio and are also indicated in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal No. 98, which states: “The altar is needed to serve on the altar and to help the priest and deacon. In particular, he is responsible for preparing the altar and the sacred vessels and, if necessary, can help believing parishioners to celebrate the Eucharist. The altar has its own functions in serving the altar, which he must personally perform. ”
In Anglicanism
In Anglican churches such as the Church of England of Great Britain, the United States Episcopal Church, the Church of Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church, altars are often called helpers and can be of any gender or any age (although usually not younger than ten years).
An altarnik, his duties, form and status differ in different churches. Nevertheless, for Anglicans (like Catholics and Orthodox), he can help in worship by carrying a cross during a procession, lighting candles, holding a gospel book, holding candles or “torches”, helping a deacon or priest, waving a censer or spraying incense, giving plates for receiving the sacrament and performing many other tasks that, in the opinion of the priest or assistant, need to be performed.
In Anglo-Catholic churches, helpers usually wear a cassock and a cat. The belt may be a twisted rope with knots at the ends, fastened around the waist. The belt may be white or black. Carrying crosses or other special pins or symbols is the prerogative of each individual church.
In some of the more “traditional” wards, altars are evaluated as they develop their abilities to serve: interns, junior assistants, senior assistants, and honored assistants. In other cases, the functions of assistants are performed without vestments by persons from the parish who do not have formal education, experience and training.
Acolytes
In some churches, altars are called acolytes. In Methodist and Lutheran traditions, acolytes participate in worship, carrying crosses or crucifixes (these altars and acolytes are called crusaders), light and extinguish altar candles and ring the church bell to call the congregation to worship. In these traditions, the lighting of altar candles in worship is a symbol of the coming of Jesus in the presence of a worshiping community of believers.
Before lighting candles, the acolyte may bow to the altar as a sign of respect. Before extinguishing the last altar candles, the assistants will light their “candle lighter” and then go to the narthex. This symbolizes the presence of Jesus Christ for all people and in all parts of the world. It also marks the light of Jesus Christ entering the world in which believers are called to serve.
According to the Anglican tradition, Assyrian churches wear clothes called Albums, sometimes with different shades. It is also customary for the Methodist acolytes to wear the traditional cassock, but the duties of the altar men are the same everywhere, despite the differences in form.