Misplaced Pages

#422577

52-527: A subdeacon, also called hypodeacon, is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Eastern Orthodox Church . This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon . Like the reader, the clerical street-dress of the subdeacon is the cassock , which is usually black but only need be so if he is a monk. This is symbolic of his suppression of his own tastes, will, and desires, and his canonical obedience to God, his bishop, and

104-411: A cross in back), and with the ends crossed over, and tucked under the section around the waist. This distinguishes them from acolytes in those jurisdictions where acolytes are ordained and blessed to wear the orarion , as the latter do not wear the orarion crossed in front but simply hanging straight down. The ordination to the subdiaconate is performed outside of the altar and in a context other than

156-472: A delay in his ordination. The reason for this lies in the fact that the canons prohibit subdeacons to marry after their ordination (just like deacons and priests ). This latter stipulation has led, in some places, to the reservation of the formal ordination liturgy as a stepping-stone for candidates for the priesthood , although this is by no means universal. It also means that, while teenagers who show particular fervour may be ordained as acolytes and readers,

208-641: A maniple and also wore a humeral veil while holding the paten from the Offertory to the Our Father ; and, if the chalice and paten with host are not already on the altar, he also used the humeral veil when bringing these to the altar at the Offertory. In practice, the roles of deacon and subdeacon in Solemn High Mass were generally performed by men already ordained as priests, wearing the subdiaconal or diaconal vestments. The Personal Ordinariate of

260-529: A priest or reader at a simpler form of the mass, and with assisting the deacon with the preparation of the oblations and with carrying them to the altar, (in those western rites that retain the Offertory Procession). He also assists the deacon during the reading of the Gospel by carrying the Gospel book to and from (depending on the rite used) the place of proclamation, and by acting as a support for

312-439: A rank lower than deacon. There is a special liturgy for the tonsuring of a subdeacon, although in contemporary practice an acolyte or a reader may receive the bishop's blessing to vest and act as a subdeacon generally or for a particular occasion if there is no subdeacon available. This situation often arises if there is a need for a subdeacon and a likely candidate has stated an intention to marry but has not yet done so, causing

364-652: A recipient of a major order, a subdeacon could not contract marriage, and any breach by him of the obligation to observe celibacy was classified as a sacrilege (cf. canon 132 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law ). Canon 135 of the same Code of Canon Law obliged him to say all the canonical hours of the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours or Breviary ). The other major orders were those of the deacon and priest , that of bishop not being then considered an order distinct from that of priesthood. Thus, in speaking of orders,

416-458: A shoe", cf. also the "sole" from the resemblance of fish to a flat shoe. Of uncertain origin)) is an extension of the sanctuary platform in an Eastern Orthodox temple (church building). The soleas projects beyond the iconostasis , forming a narrow walkway running the full length of the iconostasis. In the center of the soleas is the ambon , directly in front of the Holy Doors , where

468-506: A towel over his shoulders and present him with a ewer and basin, with which he washes the bishop's hands after the usual manner. The bishop dries his hands and the three subdeacons receive the bishop's blessing and kiss his hands. The senior subdeacons return to the altar while the new subdeacon, still holding the ewer and basin, stands on the soleas , facing the icon of the Mother of God and saying particular prayers quietly. The Sixth Hour

520-577: A virgin; but by the early 20th century a cleric who married was considered to have forfeited his clerical status. Today, a man who receives what were previously called minor orders is not yet a cleric, since today one becomes a cleric only upon ordination to the diaconate, a rule that applies even to members of institutes authorized to observe the 1962 form of the Roman Rite, such as the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter and others under

572-575: Is a shortage of altar servers, the newly ordained subdeacon may be required to serve at the Liturgy, in which case the taking of the blessed water to the people may be omitted, and he may be asked not to stay on the soleas but rather to assist with serving duties in the altar and at the entrances. In the Western Rite , the subdeacon's role is essentially as an assistant to the deacon in performing his diaconal role. This perhaps more clearly reflects

SECTION 10

#1732798694423

624-400: Is also responsible for the training of new servers. The clerical street-wear of a subdeacon is the inner-cassock ( podryasnik ) and outer cassock ( ryasa ). Many wear the cassock only when present among the church community or attending to church business. For liturgies, the subdeacon is vested in a sticharion with an orarion tied around his waist, up over his shoulders (forming

676-584: Is by ordination as deacon . The Byzantine tradition allows for several orders of minor clerics. The sui iuris Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, also called the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church, has the minor orders of candle bearer , cantor , lector and subdeacon, and in English uses the term " ordination " for their cheirothesis . The minor orders of candle bearer and cantor are given before tonsure during ordination to

728-623: Is completed and the Divine Liturgy continues as usual. The subdeacon remains on the soleas until the Cherubikon , when he and two senior subdeacons wash the bishop's hands as usual. At the Great Entrance, the new subdeacon joins on the very end of the procession, carrying the ewer and basin and, after the commemorations, takes the blessed water to the people so that they may bless themselves with it. On occasions when there

780-572: Is evidence in Western Christianity of the existence of what became the four minor orders (acolytes, exorcists, doorkeepers, and readers), as well as of cantors and fossores (tomb diggers). The evidence for readers is probably the earliest. In the West, unlike the East, where imposition of hands was used, the rite of ordination was by the handing over to them of objects seen as instruments of

832-465: Is reader (lector). The minor order of porter is mentioned historically in some service-books, but no longer is given; all of the rights and responsibilities of each minor order are viewed as contained in the subdiaconate. The 23 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in union with Rome have their traditional minor orders, governed by their own particular law. In all Eastern Catholic Churches, subdeacons are minor clerics, since admission to major orders

884-480: The Byzantine Rite (followed by the majority of Eastern Orthodox churches) the subdeacon's liturgical role is primarily that of servant to the bishop . He assists the bishop during hierarchical liturgies, (at which a hierarch/bishop is present and presiding) by vesting him, by looking after and presenting the trikiri and dikiri , placing the aëtos , operating the veil and Royal Doors, and handing

936-650: The Catechism of the Council of Trent declares : "Their number, according to the uniform and universal doctrine of the Catholic Church, is seven, Porter, Reader, Exorcist, Acolyte, Sub-deacon, Deacon and Priest. [...] Of these, some are greater, which are called 'Holy', some lesser, which are called 'Minor Orders'. The great or Holy Orders are Sub-deaconship, Deaconship and Priesthood; the lesser or Minor Orders are Porter, Reader, Exorcist, and Acolyte". Today

988-624: The Latin Church , as stated in the Code of Canon Law in force since 1983 ("The orders are the episcopate, the presbyterate, and the diaconate"), recognizes only three orders, those of bishop, priest (presbyter) and deacon, also referred to as "sacred orders" or "holy orders". In line with Pope Paul VI's Ministeria quaedam , what were called minor orders are now called ministries. In the Solemn High Mass form of Tridentine Mass and

1040-600: The Ordinariate Mass , the duties of a subdeacon included those of crucifer , singing the Epistle, holding the Book of Gospels while the deacon sings the Gospel, carrying it back to the celebrant afterwards and assisting the priest or deacon in setting the altar. Although the subdeacons were allowed to carry out numerous functions specific to the diaconate, however they were always precluded from distributing Communion, in

1092-474: The major orders of the Latin Church . He decreed that "the major order of subdiaconate no longer exists in the Latin Church" and that the functions previously assigned to the subdeacon are now entrusted to the acolyte and the lector; he also decreed that, where the local episcopal conference so desired, the acolyte could be called a subdeacon. The traditional rites of ordination to the subdiaconate and

SECTION 20

#1732798694423

1144-553: The major orders — priest (including bishop ), deacon and subdeacon —and four minor orders— acolyte , exorcist , lector , and porter (in descending order of seniority). In 1972, the Vatican re-titled the minor orders as "ministries", with those of lector and acolyte being kept throughout the Latin Church. In the Eastern Orthodox Church , the three minor orders in use are those of subdeacon, reader and chanter . The rites by which all four minor orders were conferred, but not

1196-476: The maniple , the cincture , and the tunicle . Unlike his brother subdeacons in the Byzantine Rite who wear the orarion , the subdeacon does not wear its western equivalent - the stole - which is reserved for deacons, priests, and bishops. Prior to the reform instituted by Pope Paul VI with his motu proprio Ministeria quaedam of 15 August 1972, the subdiaconate was regarded as the lowest of

1248-579: The minor orders (those of acolyte , exorcist , lector and porter ) are still employed for members of certain Catholic religious institutes and societies of apostolic life authorized to use the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite . As men in major orders, subdeacons, like deacons, were styled in English-speaking countries as "The Rev. Mr." In French the title of Abbé was often given to them and even to those in minor orders, as in

1300-455: The orarion and the bishop's hand, and the subdeacons vest the ordinand in the orarion . The bishop blesses the ordinand three times with the sign of the Cross upon his head, then lays his right hand upon the ordinand's head and prays the prayer of ordination. The new subdeacon kisses the bishop's right hand and makes a prostration before the bishop, after which the more senior subdeacons drape

1352-444: The 1917 Code of Canon Law laid down that nobody was to be given clerical tonsure , which had to be received before minor orders, before beginning the regular course of theological studies. Before the entry into force of that Code, it was an almost universal custom to confer all four minor orders at one time, since the bishop was authorized to dispense from the rule that each order had to be exercised for some time before reception of

1404-603: The Chair of Saint Peter uses instituted acolytes in the role of subdeacon, but also uses men ordained as priests or deacons for the subdiaconal role. In the Eastern Catholic Churches that use the Byzantine Rite, the order of subdeacon is the highest of the minor orders and its functions are equivalent to those of Orthodox subdeacons. Whilst the office of subdeacon was not included in the Orders of Clergy when

1456-806: The Church of England was established during the 16th century, certain churches and communities in the Anglican Communion and within the Anglican Continuing Churches assign a layperson to act as subdeacon in the celebration of the liturgy of the Holy Communion (especially Solemn High Mass ). However, this is considered a liturgical function one fulfills and not an order to which one is ordained. In some dioceses and provinces , laypersons who act as subdeacons in this manner may be required to be specifically authorised by

1508-553: The Divine Liturgy if there is only one deacon. The subdeacon also has practical responsibilities in the care of the altar, by cleaning it, looking after the clergy vestments and the cloths of the Holy Table, cleaning and mending them, and changing them according to the feasts, fasts, and seasons. For this reason, he has a general blessing to touch the Holy Table and the Table of Oblation, which Readers and other servers may not do. He

1560-441: The Divine Liturgy. The reader who is to be tonsured subdeacon is presented to the bishop by two other subdeacons, who first lead him to the nave. There he faces east and makes a prostration before turning to make three prostrations towards the bishop, moving further west after each one. He is then led to stand immediately before the bishop. The subdeacons present the orarion to the bishop, who blesses it. The ordinand then kisses

1612-565: The actual conferral of the order, are still employed for members of some Catholic religious institutes and societies of apostolic life authorized to observe the 1962 form of the Roman Rite . Some traditionalist Catholics continue to use minor orders, as do Old Catholics , the Polish National Catholic Church and the Liberal Catholic Church . From the beginning of the 3rd century, there

Subdeacon - Misplaced Pages Continue

1664-546: The bema (pulpit) to one side and the Bishop's throne on the other. The solea will be separated from the main part of the nave by a waist-high wall with icons and a central opening. Liturgically in these churches, the solea will be where the Deacon stands to read the petitions, where the readings will take place and where the people will come to receive communion (by entering the sides of the solea to north and south and leaving through

1716-400: The bishop and relieving him of all that he needs so as to enable him to perform his role of prayer undistracted. Outside of hierarchical liturgies, the subdeacon serves in the altar as any other server but, as highest-ranking of the minor clergy, is responsible for co-ordinating and leading the serving team. In addition to the above duties, the subdeacon may read the reading from the Epistle at

1768-494: The book while the Gospel is read. At pontifical liturgies (at which a pontiff or bishop is present and presiding), the subdeacon also assists the deacon in the vesting of the bishop. The usual street-wear of the subdeacon is the cassock. (There is no distinction between an inner and outer cassock in the Western Rite, and all clergy wear one cassock only). During liturgies, the subdeacon vests in an alb , over which he wears

1820-547: The care of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei , regarding, however, only the incardination of members within the institute or society. In the early 20th century, Auguste Boudinhon said that, on the grounds that minor orders did not originate with Jesus or the apostles, the view that minor orders and the subdiaconate were sacramental , a view held by several medieval theologians, was no longer held. The slightly earlier G. van Noort said that

1872-507: The case of Franz Liszt . The subdiaconate was generally considered a major order in the Latin church from the late 12th century. After that, ordination of a subdeacon did not include the laying on of hands . Instead, the bishop handed to him an empty chalice and paten , his vestments, cruets of wine and water, and the Book of the Epistles and pronounced a prayer of blessing for him. As

1924-421: The center opening. While the wall serves to separate the laity from the elevated solea, the laity may still enter to receive communion or to receive blessings from the Bishop on his throne, or at the end of the service to receive holy bread and a blessing from the celebrant. This Russia -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Eastern Orthodox Christianity –related article

1976-483: The communicants stand to receive Holy Communion and where the clergy come out for public prayers, sermons, etc. At either side of the soleas are places for two choirs , called the kliros (meaning lots, since in ancient times Readers and Singers were chosen by lot). In some major churches in Greece, the soleas sometimes extends far out from the iconostasis into the nave. On it will be two choirs to either side,

2028-401: The form of both bread and wine. The subdeacon's specific vestment is the tunicle, in practice almost indistinguishable in form from the deacon's dalmatic (the tunicle is sometimes somewhat longer than the dalmatic or had slightly less elaborate decoration, but this is often unnoticeable by the casual church-goer). Unlike deacon and priest, he never wears a stole. In the former Mass rites he wore

2080-521: The hierarchical structure of the Church, the Second Vatican Council mentioned only these three orders, not minor orders or subdiaconate. By Pope Paul VI 's motu proprio Ministeria quaedam of 15 August 1972, the term "minor orders" has been replaced by that of "ministries". Two of what were called minor orders, those of reader and acolyte, are kept throughout the Latin Church , and national episcopal conferences are free to use

2132-462: The lay ministries of acolyte and lector, may be entrusted to all suitable faithful, whether male or female, per CIC Canon 230 §2. Additionally there is established the instituted ministry of the Catechist, whether male or female. Eastern Christianity traditionally views the subdeacon as a minor order, unlike the practice of the West which considered it a major order. The other common minor order

Subdeacon - Misplaced Pages Continue

2184-593: The lectorate. Eastern Orthodox Churches routinely confer the minor orders of reader and subdeacon, and some jurisdictions also ordain cantors. Ordination to minor orders is performed outside the sanctuary and at any communal worship service, but always outside the context of actual Divine Liturgy. The order of taper-bearer is now used as part of ordination as a lector. The orders of doorkeepers, exorcists, and acolytes are no longer in common use. Soleas The soleas (( Greek : σολέα, other form σολέας ) = Latin : solea meaning (“bottom, base”, as used in "sole of

2236-468: The liturgical and canonical norms of the Church. As a concession in countries where Eastern Orthodoxy is little known, many only wear the cassock when attending liturgies or when moving about the faithful on church business. In some jurisdictions in the United States, a clergy-shirt will sometimes be worn instead of a cassock, and is commonly worn buttoned but with no collar or collar-tab to indicate

2288-402: The minor orders or ministries is by the ordinary : either a diocesan bishop or someone who is equivalent in law to a diocesan bishop or, in the case of clerical religious institutes and societies of apostolic life, a major superior. The two ministries that are in use throughout the Latin Church could be conferred even on persons who are not candidates for holy orders. In the Latin Church,

2340-413: The next highest order. Today, as indicated in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, anyone who is to be ordained to the diaconate must already have received the ministries of lector and acolyte and exercised them for a suitable period, with an interval of at least six months between becoming an acolyte and becoming a deacon. The 1917 Code of Canon Law also restricted conferral of tonsure and any order below that of

2392-420: The office. The Council of Sardica (343) mentions the lectorate alone as obligatory before ordination to the diaconate. The obligation to receive all four minor orders appears to date only from a time when they ceased to indicate exercise of an actual function. Even in the early years of the 20th century, no minimum age, other than that of the "age of reason" , was laid down for receiving minor orders. However,

2444-421: The origins of the subdiaconate than in the Byzantine Rite, where, rather than the subdeacon assisting the deacon, many formerly diaconal functions have, over time, come to be seen as properly belonging to the subdeacon in his own right. In the Western Rite, the subdeacon is charged with reading the epistle at a High Mass (the most solemn and elaborate form of the western Eucharist) – a role that may be performed by

2496-410: The presbyterate to those who intended to become priests and who were judged likely to be worthy priests. Previously, there were lay cardinals and others, including the famous Franz Liszt , who received minor orders alone. They could even marry and remain clerics, the status of belonging to the clergy being at that time conferred through clerical tonsure, provided that they married only once and that to

2548-540: The respective bishop or archbishop . In practice, an Anglican subdeacon performs similar roles to those performed in Latin Catholic or Western Rite Orthodox churches. The proper garments of the subdeacon are the alb and tunicle. Minor orders In Christianity , minor orders are ranks of church ministry . In the Catholic Church , the predominating Latin Church formerly distinguished between

2600-458: The subdiaconate is usually reserved for those of more mature years; the canonical minimum age for subdiaconal ordination is twenty years. A custom in some jurisdictions is that former seminarians who have discerned not to have a calling to the priesthood or diaconate, are, if they wish (and provided that they are married , or being unmarried, do not intend to marry), ordained subdeacons as a sign of investment, faith, and to award their service. In

2652-470: The term "subdeacon" in place of that of "acolyte". The motu proprio specified the functions of each of these two ministries, A prescribed interval, as decided by the Holy See and the national episcopal conference, is to be observed between receiving them. Candidates for diaconate and for the priesthood must receive both ministries and exercise them for some time before receiving holy orders. Conferral of

SECTION 50

#1732798694423

2704-410: The view of their sacramentality, which was held by most scholastic theologians, including Thomas Aquinas , was then held only by a few, among whom he mentioned Louis Billot (1846–1931) and Adolphe Tanquerey (1854–1932). In the 1950s, Antonio Piolanti recognized as orders only episcopacy, priesthood (presbyterate) and diaconate, the three whose transmission is reserved to bishops. In speaking of

#422577