Acolyte

An acolyte (aka acolyte of gr ακόλουθος Acolyte " companion ", " follower " ) is a male layman, who is appointed by the Church to exercise a liturgical service in the liturgy of the Catholic Church. By 1972 the service was the highest of the four minor orders.

In the 3rd century the Office in the Latin Church was first attested in the Roman Rite of Acolyte helped in the preparation of the altar and the Communion.

An acolyte is today according to Can. 230 § 1 CIC commissioned in liturgical form. The ability to provide the service however, is based solely on the grace of baptism. The acolyte met as helpers of the deacon and the priest different tasks in the service. If necessary, he helps with the administration of the Communion ( Can. 910 § 2 CIC), performs the altar service or takes the exposition of the Blessed for the veneration of the faithful from ( Can. 943 CIC). In the absence of acolytes commissioned its tasks may be perceived by other appropriate persons Catholic faith (AEM 2002 No. 100, see: Communion helpers, acolyte ).

Candidates of the deacons and the priesthood must have done a reasonable amount of time as designated acolytes service before ordination. One problem the canonical provision in ministerial is often quaedam felt that the permanent appointment to the service of acolytes may be granted only to men. In the German-speaking areas, the assignments for editing and Akolythat are usually performed only as part of the preparation for deacons and priest. The lack of an acolyte commissioned in congregational worship is therefore the rule; the assignments to perform the duties of an acolyte or lector done so by those in ministerial quaedam and the General Introduction to the Missal procedure prescribed by other appropriate persons.

Today acolytes are sometimes referred to inaccurately as acolytes. However, the difference is only liturgy legal.