www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Vespers, Matins & the Divine Liturgy The Revised Divine Liturgy My head is exploding. In the official Cantor's Companion

"Minor Orders in the Orthodox Church refers to those set aside for service other than the major orders. These commonly include subdeacons and readers, and in some traditions, cantors."
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Minor_orders

The Hamtramck Euchologion customarily used by Ukrainians and Ruthenians begins the ordinations section with a rite of ordaining someone as lector and cantor.

Jeff

I have looked around and only can find two minor orders in the eastern Catholic churches: reader (lector) and subdeacon. So, in what church is cantor actually considered a minor order? The clergy I've spoken with claim that the Byzantine Catholic Church has never ordained a cantor nor do they consider this a minor order. A Lector, which can be ordained, is only responsible for reading from the Apostle.

"A Lector, which can be ordained, is only responsible for reading from the Apostle."

This is incorrect. The reader when ordained is given the Epistle book which traditionally contains, besides the Epistle readings, the Troparia, Kontakia, Prokimena, Alleluiaria, Kinonikia and the Ordinary of the Divine Liturgy with all the responses of the people. So the duties of the reader and cantor are identical. Only recently has there risen a division of these duties where one person reads the Epistle and another intones the responses.

The other Eastern Churches normally seperate the order of psalmist from that of reader thus having three minor orders.

Fr. Deacon Lance

I was under the impression that Ruthenians in the U.S. do not ordain readers, cantors, etc. except as a last step just prior to ordination to the diaconate. There may be rituals available, etc., but the actual current practice appears different. Considering how the new service book tends to make more work for cantors instead of less, I find that ironic.

Perhaps opening the door for more frequent ordination to the minor orders? I know of one ordained reader among the Ruthenians and I do not believe (but could not swear) that he is transitionally proceeding to the diaconate. (Admittedly, he would proceed further than that if allowed, but is not currently able because of his married state.)

Thank-you Father Deacon Lance for clearing this up.