Ss Peter & Paul Orthodox Church – Altar Servers' Handbook

18 Pages·2010·0.4 MB·English

Ss Peter & Paul Orthodox Church

Altar Servers’ Handbook

April 27, 2010
Ss Peter & Paul Orthodox Church Altar Servers’ Handbook

1. Introduction

This is the Altar Servers’ Handbook for 2010. It is to serve as a guide for all
of the responsibilities for the boys and men who will serve in the altar of
our parish. Enclosed you will find the information you need in order to
serve every week, as well as things that altar servers ought to know. At the
end, you will find some things that are very necessary each week, and in
order to live a Godly and Orthodox lifestyle. If there are any questions,
each server is invited to ask Father at any time. From time to time, changes
may be made to this Handbook, and every server will be told.

Altar Server Pledge
To be administered at the beginning of the Church Year.

+ In the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
I, ____________________________ an altar server of Ss Peter & Paul
Orthodox Church, do solemnly promise to serve You, O God,
faithfully, obediently and reverently. Let nothing separate me
from You. If I am weak in my faith, strengthen me. Help me to
devote myself to Your Holy Gifts. Guide me in the path that leads
to Your Kingdom. Teach me to become a better Christian so that
I may wear the altar server's robe worthily and in humility. My
prayer is to serve You in all my thoughts, words and deeds and to
become a better Orthodox Christian so that in all I do I may testify
to Your glory. For blessed glorified is your Holy name of the
Father Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!

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2.Ground Rules

1. Learn the order of the Divine Liturgy so that you know what comes next.
This is included at the end of the Handbook.
2. Memorize the Creed and Lord's Prayer. These are also included at the end
of the Handbook.
3. Servers must be vested at least 5 minutes before the beginning of the
Liturgy, if they are not in Sunday School.
4. If you are scheduled for a position on a particular Sunday, please do your
best to make it to Church. Attendance is necessary each week for every
Orthodox Christian. You don’t want to know what the Church says
happens after three weeks of missing Church!
5. No shorts. You ought to be in Sunday clothes to show proper respect for
God and the holy work you are about to do.
6. No sitting in the Altar. Stand in a neat and orderly manner in the Altar
when not assigned to do something else.
7. The bathroom should be used only when absolutely necessary. (Remove
your robe before entering).
8. Sing & Pray along with the Priest and keep your mind on the service. As
visible servers in the parish, your behavior in the Altar will be a strong
example to the parish family.
9. Unnecessary talking and fooling around will be grounds for suspension.
(Reinstatement will be made under the discretion of the priest).
10. Never touch the Altar Table of Table of Oblation – this for the clergy only.
Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men
abhorred the offering of the LORD. 1 Samuel 2.17

Vespers
Orthodox life is one of constant preparation and fulfillment. That is why attendance at
Vespers is crucial to our relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, altar servers can spend
more time in the Holy Altar by serving at Vespers when it is offered.

Schedules
Again, everybody who is properly prepared may serve in the Altar, every week. The four
main positions will be scheduled, and are your responsibility to fulfill. If you are unable
to do so, please make sure that your job is filled by someone who is properly trained,
knowledgeable, and attending the Divine Liturgy.
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3. Altar Boy Jobs
There are many things that an altar server may be asked to do. While everyone is
invited to serve every week, there will be certain jobs that are assigned on a rotating
basis.

South Door (Head Server)
This is the head altar server. He is stationed by the South Door, near to the priest. He is
responsible for knowing the order of the service, and closing the Royal Door at the
appropriate time. He is there to be attentive to the needs of the Priest, and to oversee
the other altar servers.

Bread Cutter
The server assigned to this job will be responsible for the following additional
responsibilities each week:
(cid:1) Cutting up the antidoron
(cid:1) Keeping the table clean
(cid:1) Making sure the Hot Water is turned on and ready for the Priest
(cid:1) Preparing the Zupifka (Wine and Bread) for after communion
(cid:1) Cleaning the dishes
(cid:1) Make sure there are a few pieces of bread and a cup of wine for the Priest

North Door
This server is stationed by the North Door. He is responsible for opening and closing
the North Door and Royal Door, and for closing the curtain. He is also responsible for
assisting with the commemorations that are brought into the altar during the Divine
Liturgy.

Censer
This server is responsible for handling the censer for the entirety of the Liturgy. He must
be familiar with the order of the service, and the times when the censer is needed by the
priest. He also needs to ensure that the censer is prepared for the Requiem Service
(Panikhida) after the Liturgy, if there is one scheduled. He also carries the censer at the
Great Entrance.

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4. Responsibilities during the Divine Liturgy
In addition to the assigned positions, all servers are to assist where possible, and to pray
at all times. The responsibilities for the entire service are available at the end of the
Handbook, and is available in the Altar as well. Here are diagrams for the different
Entrances and for the Gospel reading.

Little Entrance

Candles

Gospel reading

F F

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Great Entrance

F F

Candles cross censer candles

Clean Up

a. The other servers begin to clean up after venerating the cross.
b. All dishes are to be cleaned and put away.
c. The table is to be left neat.
d. No crumbs are to be left on the table or floor.
e. The censer is to be emptied in the coffee canister; care should be taken not to spill
the coals.
f. All remaining prosphoron are to be brought down to Coffee Hour.
g. Make sure the Hot Water Pot is turned off.
h. All candles/torches in the Altar are to be extinguished. Do not blow out the candles
on the Alltar Table or Oblation Table. These should always remain lit. Blow out the
candles behind the Altar Table (on the 7 Branch Candle stand).
i. Receive the Blessing from the Priest and return vestments to the Vestment Closet.

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5. Church Year
The Church Year of our Holy Orthodox Church begins on September first and continues
through August 31st. It is divided into three seasons based upon Pascha (called Easter
by non-Orthodox Churches), and all the seasons refer to it as their starting point. The
three seasons are: (1)The Triodion, the ten weeks before Pascha including Lent; (2) The
Pentecostarion or Pentecost Season which begins with Pascha and ends the Sunday
after Pentecost Sunday which is All Saints Day; and (3) the Season of the Eight Tones
(Octoechos) for the rest of the year.

The Triodion
The first part, of the Triodion, begins just prior to Lent and runs through Holy Week. The
Sundays of the Triodion are: The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, the Sunday of
the Prodigal Son, Meat-fare Sunday, Cheese fare Sunday, and the Sundays of the Great
and Holy Lent. the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas, the Sunday
of the Veneration of the Holy Cross, the Sunday of St. John of the Ladder, the Sunday of
St. Mary of Egypt, and Palm Sunday, finally closing on Holy Saturday morning.

Pentecostarion
The second season is the Pentecostarion, the Paschal or Pentecost Season which begins
on Pascha Sunday and is followed by St. Thomas Sunday, Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing
Women, the Sunday of the Paralytic, the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, the Sunday
of the Man Born Blind, the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
(325AD), Sunday of Pentecost and the Monday of the Holy Trinity, and ends with the
Sunday of All Saints.- This period focuses around the Resurrection of Christ and the
coming of the Holy Spirit upon us.

Eight tones Season (Octoechos)
The third season, is the season of the Eight Tones, the Octoechos as it is called in Greek
and deals with all the other Sundays of the Year. This season begins on the Sunday
following All Saints Sunday and ends on the week before the Sunday of the Publican
and the Pharisee. The Octoechos is a liturgical book of the Orthodox Church, and has
the hymns for the divine services during that period from Pentecost to the beginning of
the Triodion. Its hymns are sung consecutively in the eight tones of which were
composed by the hymnographers from the very first days of our Church. Occasionally,
an important Feast Day replaces the Octoechos when the feast falls on Sunday.

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6. Vestments
As you may already know, there are three major orders of clergy in our
Orthodox Church: The Deacon, the Priest and the Bishop and two minor
orders, Reader and Sub-deacon. All have vestments that are common to
them all. With each elevation, from Reader to Sub-deacon to deacon to
Priest and from Priest to Bishop, there are some additions that occur in
the vestments. Clergy usually vest in what is called the Sacristy, the
room where the vestments are kept. Many times, the clergy vest in the
Altar as there may not be a Sacristy for them. As they put on each
vestment particular to their position, they recite certain prayers as
appropriate for each item.

Robe Or Sticharion (Reader, Deacon, Priest and Bishop)
This is the basic vestment of the clergy and must be worn for the
celebration of the Divine Liturgy and Baptism. This is usually a long,
straight robe with wide sleeves and is called" a robe of salvation and a
tunic of gladness." It symbolizes a pure and peaceful conscience and
spiritual joy.

Stole Or Orarion (Sub Deacon and Deacon).
This is a wide and long band of material that is the distinctive vestment
of the Deacon and Sub-deacon. It is crossed over the back or falls over
the left shoulder. As the deacon prays, he holds the front part of it while the back part
hangs behind his back. During the Lord’s Prayer it is crossed over the back. It
symbolizes the wings of angels. The Sub-deacon wares the stole crossed over the back
always.

Cuffs Or Epimanika (Deacon, Priest and Bishop)
These are the cuffs, one for the right hand and one for the left which
are worn by the Deacon, the Priest and the Bishop. Thus, they are
common to all the major clergy. They symbolize the tying of Christ's
hands and wrists at the time He was flogged, and also serve to remind
us that all things that we do with our hands, we should do for the glory
of God. They also have a practical purpose; to hold the wide sleeves of
the Sticharion in place.

Stole or Epitrachelion (Priest and Bishop)
This is the distinctive sign of the Priesthood and is worn on the shoulders and hangs
down in front. It symbolizes the grace of the Priesthood that the Priest receives on the
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day of his ordination. Thus it is worn by Priests and Bishops. In effect it is a development
of the Orarion, actually being an Orarion doubled with both ends hanging in front and
reaching the full length of the Sticharion.

Belt or Zone (Priest and Bishop)
This is ceremonial belt that ties at the back. The Zone is worn by the Priest and the
Bishop. It Symbolizes the power of the grace of the Priesthood and has the practical
function of holding the epitrachelion in place against the sticharion or tunic.

Award or Epigonateon (Priest and Bishop)
The square or diamond shaped Epigonateon is suspended, hanging over the right knee.
It is Worn by Priests who have received the privilege to wear it and by Bishops always. It
symbolizes the Holy Spirit and the power of the angels. It denotes that the Priest
wearing it has the title of distinction given to him by the Church.

Cape or Phelonion, (Priest only)
Resembling a cape, the Phelonion rests on the shoulders of the Priest and is put on
through a head opening. It is about arms length in the front and reaches the edge of the
tunic or Sticarion in the back. On the back is usually an embroidered Cross or an icon.
Symbolizing the seamless robe of Christ it stands for righteousness. With the Phelonion,
the Priest's liturgical attire is completed.

Pectoral Cross, (Priest)
A Priest wears a cross according to the rank bestowed on him by the Bishop beginning
with silver then the gold then to an ornately decorated Archpriest cross.

Sakkos, (Bishop only)
The Sakkos is a richly embroidered liturgical vestment. It is one of the principal
vestments worn by a Bishop and replaces the Phelonion of the Priest yet it carries the
same meaning: the seamless robe of Christ.

Omophorion, (Bishop only)
This scarf-like article worn by the Bishop is symbolic of the wayward lamb carried on the
shoulders of the Good Shepherd. It falls over the shoulders and hangs in front and the
back. There is a shorter one that hangs only in front and is worn after the reading of the
Gospel.
Mitre (Bishop only)
A Mitre is the Bishops ceremonial crown. It denotes his apostolic sovereignty.

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Pectoral Cross and Panaghia Medallion (Bishop only)
The pectoral cross and the Panaghia are worm by the Bishop during the Divine Liturgy.
The cross denotes the self-denial of the Shepherd of the flock. The Panaghia is the
distinctive sign of the office of the Bishop and is usually oval in shape and suspended
from a chain and has an icon of the Theotokos and Christ on it.

Pastoral Staff (Bishop only)
This, made of a precious metal and having at the top a cross with serpents turned
inward towards it, denotes the power of the Holy Spirit and especially the Cross as an
instrument of support for all the faithful. It is pastoral in nature and is there for all the
people to see and to know that the Cross can lead them, chastise the disorderly, and
gather the dispersed. It reminds us of Moses who held up the staff in the wilderness as
the snakes came to bite the people. As long as they looked at his staff, they suffered no
harm. The serpents on top, turn inwardly toward the Cross as reminders of the Lord
saying-. "Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents
and innocent as doves."

Kamilafka (Priest and Bishop)
The Kamilafkion is the black cyclindrical head covering or hat worn by the Bishop or
Certain Priests. It is tall and has a flat top. It is covered with a black veil if the priest is a
monastic.

7. Altar Server Vestments
Robe or Sticharion
The long robe or sticharion that is similar to that of the deacon, is a reminder of the role
the Altar Boy has in the service in the Altar. It symbolizes the cleanliness of mind and
heart that the server brings each time he enters the altar.

Stole or Orarion
The Stole or Orarion is also similar to the deacon but it is worn differently. It is shaped in
a cross at the back with two parts hanging down the front. It denotes the calling of the
altar boy to be a server much as the angels of God serve Him attentively and willingly. It
is given by the Bishop as a special honor for years loyal service as an altar boy when
they become a subdeacon

Service Book
It would be good for each Altar Server to obtain a copy of the Divine Liturgy service
book, in order to follow along during the service. Consider this a part of your

vestments.
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