Subdiaconate in Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church?

[Patchunky]

Do they still ordain (or is it “institute?”) subdeacons in the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church in the USA who do not intend to one day be ordained as deacons?

I just got an email from a friend who is currently studying at the Russicum in Rome and just graduated from the Seminary in Presov. He told me that the only sub-deacons ordained in Slovakia are those in the Seminary. They do not function in the churches unless they are home visiting.

He also told me that there is only 1 permanent deacon in Slovakia since they still ordain married men.

He said they are thinking about bringing back the ordination of cantors the way it was before the Communist occupation and the underground church.

If this happens, how do they handle a church with a woman cantor?

 

[Aramis]

Lay cantors always served alongside the ordained cantors.

The Russian Orthodox still do… no ordained female cantors, even tho’ they do ordain Deaconesses for liturgical diaconal function. And yet, the choirs often have women.

The cantor’s role is more than just leading the singing. It includes leading the typica when no subdeacon, deacon nor priest is present, reading the epistle if no subdeacon nor reader is available, training the non-ordained cantors… it is in fact a very real ministry. Leading the hours when no cleric does.

(see the Cantor’s Companion from the MCI for what the Ruthenian Hierarchs have in mind for the role of cantors, lay or otherwise…)

 

[Patchunky]

Lay cantors always served alongside the ordained cantors.

The Russian Orthodox still do… no ordained female cantors, even tho’ they do ordain Deaconesses for liturgical diaconal function. And yet, the choirs often have women.

The cantor’s role is more than just leading the singing. It includes leading the typica when no subdeacon, deacon nor priest is present, reading the epistle if no subdeacon nor reader is available, training the non-ordained cantors… it is in fact a very real ministry. Leading the hours when no cleric does.

(see the Cantor’s Companion from the MCI for what the Ruthenian Hierarchs have in mind for the role of cantors, lay or otherwise…)

Traditionally, in the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic church, the Cantor was ordained and had to have a degree in music from the Semianry. This was a paid position, often paid by the government or the Emperor/Emperess. Not only was he responsible for the singing in the parish but, more often than not, was also the teacher in the village school.

This was also a paid position in this country as well up until the early 1920’s.

 

[Aramis]

Traditionally, in the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic church, the Cantor was ordained and had to have a degree in music from the Semianry. This was a paid position, often paid by the government or the Emperor/Emperess. Not only was he responsible for the singing in the parish but, more often than not, was also the teacher in the village school.

This was also a paid position in this country as well up until the early 1920’s.

The Cantor’s Companion notes that, and also note that the Ruthenian church has always had laymen and women assisting said paid cantors.

 

[Patchunky]

The Cantor’s Companion notes that, and also note that the Ruthenian church has always had laymen and women assisting said paid cantors.

Not in Europe.

Not in North America until the 1970’s were women allowed to do any of the siniging for any of the services.

Talk to Jerry Jumba and he’ll tell you the true story.

 

[Deacon_Lance]

This is just my guess but I believe the reason the Pittsburgh Metroplia has not taken interest in ordaining lectors or subdeacons is that, unlike in the Latin Church where instituting men as lectors and acolytes does not make them clerics, in the Eastern Churches ordination to these offices makes men clerics and incardinates them to the Eparchy. The Eparchy is therefore responsible for them, i.e able to be sued for their actions. Given the recent scandal I don’t think bishops are in any hurry to increase the pool of men for whom they are responsible. iT is easier to continue with volunteer cantors, lectors and servers.

 

[Ivan_Putovati]

This is just my guess but I believe the reason the Pittsburgh Metroplia has not taken interest in ordaining lectors or subdeacons is that, unlike in the Latin Church where instituting men as lectors and acolytes does not make them clerics, in the Eastern Churches ordination to these offices makes men clerics and incardinates them to the Eparchy. The Eparchy is therefore responsible for them, i.e able to be sued for their actions. Given the recent scandal I don’t think bishops are in any hurry to increase the pool of men for whom they are responsible. iT is easier to continue with volunteer cantors, lectors and servers.

Interesting thoughts, Father Deacon.

If true, this is very sad. Minor orders could serve as a source of major order vocations for the BCC.

 

[Pani_Rose]

Here at St. Georges - which is Melkite - through the last 22 years, there have been four men set aside as readers, which is minor orders.

 

[Diak]

The Russian Orthodox still do… no ordained female cantors, even tho’ they do ordain Deaconesses for liturgical diaconal function. And yet, the choirs often have women.

The ROC-MP, ROCOR and the Old Ritualists/Old Believers do not currrently ordain deaconesses. The sister of Tsar Nicholas I attempted to garner some interest amongst the clergy and the female monastic communities, but the hierarchy never approved any order for ordination, rule of life, etc.

Actually the Greeks have been more involved with deaconesses, with a college being established in Athens for the formation of “lay” deaconesses in the 1950s. This was short lived, however.

St. Nektarios ran very afoul of the ecclesiastical authority after his first “ordination” of a deaconess in 1911 and only did it once more. In his explanation to the Archbishop he maintained that their duties were more that of a subdeacon that was necessary for their convents without a resident priest, so some have even suggested he only blessed them with a chierothesia rather than chierotonia. In any case the discussions amongst both the Greeks and Russians were primarily for monastic service in communities without the service of a resident priest and/or deacon.