What are some traditional and maybe uncommon altar server duties?

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Hello, recently I was appointed Master of Ceremony for our parish and I am incharge of what the altar servers do and I train and notify them of changes in the liturgy.

Usually our parish uses altar servers on Sunday mass for:
Procession (With cross and 2 candles)
Book holding for the priest (Both first and last prayer of the Mass)
Altar setting
Leading the gifts up to the altar
Patens under Holy Host
Altar cleaning (Not sure if right word?)
Recession.

One thing I am trying to implement is for the candle bearers. Since they don’t do much except follow the crucifer and look pretty. I would like them, while the gospel is being proclaimed, one lucifer stand on each side of the ambo.

Are there any more traditional/uncommon practices for altar servers that the Church allows through the GIRM?

We don’t do incense during Sunday Masses. Only on solemnities, Christ the King, funerals, and Adoration.

Thank you. 🙂
 
Please don’t use the term ‘lucifer’ for a liturgical minister. it is, at best, non-standard, and at worst, forcing someone to go by a notorious name for no good reason.
 
Elizium23 said:
Please don’t use the term ‘lucifer’ for a liturgical minister. it is, at best, non-standard, and at worst, forcing someone to go by a notorious name for no good reason.
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Don’t read too much into it. It has been the standard synonym for the torch bearer (and to some extent, Acolytes) while wielding the torch.
 
Boston_Sem said:
Don’t read too much into it. It has been the standard synonym for the torch bearer (and to some extent, Acolytes) while wielding the torch.
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I think the lucifer is a liturgical object -the pole with the candle lighter/snuffer
 
You can have a (usually even) number of torch bearers line up at the EP and kneel in front of the altar. Since you unfortunately don’t use incense, that is out of the question, but you can have the torches anyway.
 
Other things I’ve seen in the OF

Acting as Thruifer including actually censing the congregation - you do it some
presenting the water and cloth for the lavabo
presenting the water and wine to the priest/deacon pre-consecration for preparation of the chalice
Ringing the bells
holding the water basin during the asperges
holding a canopy support for a procession
assisting in washing feet - dealing with towels, basin, etc
holding oils and related swabs for anointings
assisting with things at baptisms - candles, water for basin, white robes, etc.
acting as master of ceremonies
generally aiding the priest e.g., something is forgotten - getting it, moving things in and out as needed, e.g. prie dieus etc.
doing a reading/prayer of the faithful, etc.
 
Traditionally, it is the acolytes who carry candles at the gospel and in the entrance and exit processions, along side the crucifer. Torchbearers are those who carry out torches (different from acolytes’ candles) for the eucharistic prayer.
 
How about vimpa-bearers (altar servers who use shawls to hold pontificalia)? That’s pretty uncommon, considering that bishops don’t celebrate Mass at parishes TOO frequently. It happens a bit where I currently study, as our Abbot celebrates and presides over OA Masses and Vespers (usually important Solemnities, along with Easter Triduum) with pontificalia.
 
zab said:
I think the lucifer is a liturgical object -the pole with the candle lighter/snuffer
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Providing a citation to prove this would be useful. I have not found any evidence that any liturgical object, thing, person, or action is named after the Prince of Darkness in any generally-accepted terminology.
 
Elizium23 said:
Providing a citation to prove this would be useful. I have not found any evidence that any liturgical object, thing, person, or action is named after the Prince of Darkness in any generally-accepted terminology.
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That is what our pastor and the altar servers call it in our parish. At one time I saw it listed and pictured in a vintage instructional booklet (online) for altar servers to learn the names of liturgical objects. I haven’t been successful in locating it again at this time.
 
Elizium23 said:
Providing a citation to prove this would be useful. I have not found any evidence that any liturgical object, thing, person, or action is named after the Prince of Darkness in any generally-accepted terminology.
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‘Lucifer’ is Latin for “Light-bearer”
 
Elizium23 said:
I’m aware of that - are you aware that it shares all its letters with a name for the Father of Lies?
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I think he knows that, what he’s trying to say is that to avoid a perfectly legit technical term is akin to avoiding the word “Door” because it just so happens to be the nickname of the worst mass murderer of all time.(Not that there was a mass murderer named Door, lol)
 
Facite said:
How about vimpa-bearers (altar servers who use shawls to hold pontificalia)? That’s pretty uncommon, considering that bishops don’t celebrate Mass at parishes TOO frequently. It happens a bit where I currently study, as our Abbot celebrates and presides over OA Masses and Vespers (usually important Solemnities, along with Easter Triduum) with pontificalia.
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Usually we just call that mitre/crosier or bishop’s assistant.

The vimpa itself is, of course, optional. I’ve been bishop’s assistant a few times on my own, and it is pretty much impossible to use the vimpa if you are holding both. I know some guys who like it; personally I think it looks a little silly.

What altar servers need to do really depends on the Mass. Normally: process in (Cross/candles/incense/boat), gospel procession (candles/incense), help receive gifts, set/help set altar, lavabo, clear altar, process out (cross/candles).

Bells depending on if they’re used. You can use a separate person as the book-holder if you want, although that usually just falls to the cross-bearer.

With a bishop you have bishop’s assistant. Ordinations have miscellaneous jobs (like moving chairs or carrying various things to/from somewhere), along with oils and wash-water after the anointing.
 
Elizium23 said:
I’m aware of that - are you aware that it shares all its letters with a name for the Father of Lies?
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We tend to place a stigma on a good name. That is why the name of St. Judas was changed to Jude, so that he wouldn’t be confused with the traitor.
 
Elizium23 said:
That remains to be seen. Some of you have asserted this, and I am still waiting for a citation to a reliable source.
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My source is the Latin Language.

Since we’re the LATIN Church, we like to use Latin terms.

In Latin -fer is a suffix meaning “to bear or carry”

Thus when we combine it with the Latin for Cross,Crux,we get, crucifer.

Thuribulum, thurible,+ -fer = thurifer

And guess what? Light in Latin is* Lux*

*Lux *+ *-fer *= Lucifer

And that Angel that Fell, who has sowed much destruction in this world, he was the “Light Bearer”, so, unfortunately, when it came to render his name into Latin that term was used, which then got picked up by the English Language.
 
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