Acolyte Manual

The following instructions outline the procedures for a "usual" eucharist (either I or II). All instructions are subject to change by the priest and/or the worship task force responsible for planning the service!

• In a eucharist, the optimal number of acolytes is three or four: one crucifer, two torchbearers, and (optionally) a server.
• If there are only three acolytes, the crucifer doubles as the server. If there are only two acolytes, one will be crucifer and the other will be the server. If there is only one acolyte, s/he will be both crucifer and server.

Before the Service

• All acolytes come to the church at least 20 minutes before the service to vest and to receive instructions.
• The crucifer or a torchbearer lights the candles 5 to 10 minutes before the service.
  
  Light the candles as follows: First, if no parishioners are designated, light any seasonal candles. Then, light the candles on the central altar left to right. If using the high altar, light the candles on the left from the inside out, and then on the right from the inside out.

General Notes

• Move gracefully! Pretend you are balancing an object on your head.
• Always present with your right hand and receive with your left. This avoids crossing hands and falling objects.
• After a procession, go to your station and stand. Do not sit down until the priests sit down (regardless of what the congregation does).
• Whatever you do, do it slowly and reverently. This way, if you make a mistake, no one will notice.

Seating

• There are two stations for the acolytes:

  The pulpit station is beside the pulpit. The torchbearers and crucifer sit there.
  
  The other station is beside the rector's or celebrant's chair. The server sits here.

The Procession

Before the Procession

• Crucifer:

  Stand just inside the passageway beside the organ or in the foyer just outside the nave door, facing forward.

  
  
  
• Torchbearers:

  Once you are in the nave, walk side-by-side (and apart) behind the crucifer. Hold the torches with both hands, one above the other, with the candle flame at eye level.

  
  
  
• Server:

  Walk behind the torchbearers with your hands folded at waist level.

During the Procession

• Crucifer:

  Follow the wardens. If there are none, begin walking once the congregation has begun to sing the processional hymn. Hold the cross with both hands firmly grasping the staff near the middle, with hands as close or as far apart as provides the best control, with both palms facing inward and elbows bent. Hold the cross exactly vertical, and with the base a few inches above the ground (again, so as to provide the best control).
  
  The procession is slow and reverent. Do not march in step with the music, and do not hurry.
  
  When you reach the altar, hesitate slightly, turn to the right, go around the altar to secure the cross in its place behind the pulpit. Go stand at your station.

  
  
  
• Torchbearers:

  Follow the crucifer side-by-side. In front of the Altar, hesitate slightly, with one turning to the left, to go stand beside the co-celebrant's or associate rector's chair, and the other turning to the right to go stand beside the celebrant's or rector's chair.
  
  Just before the readings, walk to the lectern and stand one on each side. When the readings are finished, process to stand one on each side of the pulpit for the Gospel reading. Allow enough room for the person reading the Gospel to get into the pulpit.

  
  
  
• Server:

  Follow the torchbearers (or crucifer), hesitate slightly at the altar, then turn right and go stand at your station.

The Holy Communion (Eucharist)

During the Holy Communion, the server and crucifer will assist the priests, and the torchbearers will be ready to provide assistance as needed.

The Offering

• Torchbearers:

  Retrieve your torches, then go around the outside aisle to stand in front of the people bringing up the bread and wine.
  
  When the co-celebrant turns around to face you, process slowly up to the altar. When you have reached the altar, hesitate slightly, the the torchbearer on the left should turn left to go stand in the middle of the left (east) side of the altar, and the other torchbearer should turn right and go stand in the middle of the right (west) side of the altar.

  
  
  
• Server:

  When any music has finished, retrieve the large alms basic and go stand on the altar platform, holding the basin vertically against your chest with the image upright.
  
  When the presentation hymn begins, hold the basin horizontally, which signals the beadles to bring up the offering. When the beadles have reached the altar and are lined up in front of it, beginning on the left, take each bag of money and place it in the alms basic. Turn around and take the basin around the altar to the celebrant, who will take it from you. Then go stand at your station.

  
  
  
• Crucifer

  Give the alms basins out to the beadles as the priests ready the table for Communion. Once the server has taken the bags of money, collect the offering plates, stacking one on top of the other. Then put them on the shelf under the credence table and go stand at your station.

The Great Thanksgiving

The server and the crucifer both stand on the high altar side of the altar with the torchbearers holding torches in the middle of the courtyard and 3rd St. sides of the altar. When the priests are ready to distribute communion, the torches should be placed in the holders behind the pulpit and the torchbearers should return to the altar to receive communion.

Wait at your places around the altar until the priests indicate that they are ready, then step up on to the platform to receive Communion. Once you have received, the crucifer may return to her/his seat, then sit. The server and one torchbearer should remain, one on each side of the altar, to replenish the wine in the lay servers' flagons as needed.

Once the last communicant has been served, assist the priests to clear the altar by taking the bread and other items to the credence table. The bread board should be placed on top of the table, the other items on the bottom shelf, and the large alms basin with the offering on the floor under the table.

Return to your seat and wait for the priests to finish re-covering the vessels, etc. When the priests says, "Let us pray," stand for the Post-Communion prayer.

The Retiring Procession (Recessional)

The retiring procession follows the same order as the Processional, with the torchbearers dividing to go around the altar.

Before the Retiring Procession

• Crucifer:

  After the Post-Communion prayer, take the cross from its holder. Go to aisle nearest the high altar, and wait for the congregation to start singing the recessional hymn. If there is no or thurifer, walk around the altar, turn right at the end of the aisle and proceed down the courtyard aisle. Turn right at the high altar end of the church, then left and up the steps to the high altar. Turn around to your right at the top of the chancel steps, and face the congregation.

  
  
  
• Torchbearers:

  Retrieve your torches, and walk to stand behind the crucifer, facing the altar.

  
  
  
• Server:

  Walk to stand behind the torchbearers with your hands folded at waist level.

After the Retiring Procession

• Crucifer:

  Take the cross and proceed briskly but quietly to return it to its place in the sacristy.

  
  
  
• Server and Torchbearers:

  Extinguish the torches and return to the sacristy with the crucifer.
  
  A torchbearer should take the candle snuffer and return to the nave to extinguish the candles. When finished, return the candle snuffer to the sacristy.

This manual has been compiled from the liturgical Acolyte Manual of St. Andrew's Church, Edwardsville IL, and from St. Mark's tradition and practice.