What is an Altar Server?
An Altar Server, (or Acolyte), is an individual who serves the needs of both the church community and the priest during liturgical services. These services include the Divine Liturgy, morning Orthros (matins), evening Vespers, feast days, and Lent/Holy Week. It is a great and high honor to serve as an Acolyte during the sacraments and holy services of the Church. The goal of our Altar Server Ministry is to help educate young men about the importance and sacredness of the liturgical life of the church, its meaning through watching and listening to the services up-close, and their sacramental meaning and importance. Many who serve in the Altar as an Acolyte grow a genuine appreciation of service (diakonia) to the church. Serving in the Altar also allows for a genuine appreciation of the richness of Orthodox liturgical worship and tradition.
Altar Servers at the Annunciation Cathedral are expected to arrive to the Divine Liturgy and other services of the church on time. Acolytes are also expected to dress appropriately for participation in liturgical worship. Dress pants, dress shoes, and long sleeved dress shirts are highly encouraged. Once Altar servers enter the Altar, they will be asked to vest in an altar robe and belt. Altar servers are to immediately receive a blessing from the priest (or bishop, if presiding over the service) before vesting in their robes. Once in the Altar, servers are to be reminded that the area in which they are serving is sacred, and should conduct themselves in a manner that respects the importance of the divine service at hand. Altar servers are encouraged to take a Divine Liturgy Service book or pamphlet with the hymns used for the day, so that proper attention can be given to the meaning of the service.
New Altar servers are always welcome and encouraged to serve alongside the priest and seminarians assigned to the Cathedral. There are many patient, kind and helpful individuals who have regularly served in the altar, willing and able to guide and help newcomers to serve and understand the divine services. If you are new, please introduce yourself to Father Tom, our Cathedral Dean, and Jack Bushell, our pastoral assistant, so that we can help guide you towards becoming a diligent servant of Christ! Mistakes are often made the first time we try new things, and that is perfectly understandable. Through proper guidance and a welcoming hand, every new Altar server will be able to experience the sacredness of our Orthodox liturgical life, and participate in it's beauty. Young men, ages 10 or older, are welcome to serve the Annunciation Cathedral as an Acolyte.
Want to Participate in Serving in the Holy Altar?
With the blessing of Fr. Tom, we would like to invite our Cathedral's young men (ages 15 and up) to serve Christ in His Holy Altar.