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Have the minor orders in Eastern Catholic churches been repressed as in the Latin church? Comments made in another post made me wonder.

Dear Eric,

No, we still have the same orders as always!

Alex

And would you like fries with that?

Sharon

Ha ! Friday afternoon madness again I see

Could someone give a short list and description of the eastern minor orders? Thank you!

I was tonsured a Reader in the OCA. However, within the Byzantine Catholic (Ruthenians) Church in America as far as I know this minor order does not officially exist. For that matter, most cantors do not appear to have been formally tonsured, either. So far, all I have seen is minor orders that are only ordained in preparation for the diaconate or higher.

In orthodoxy there was even a time in the 19th century when there were ordained choristers (not sure of the exact title they went by). Mention of them has been made in biographies of Russian missionaries to Alaska, as accompanying a priest or bishop- a choir, that went with the clergy.

Anyhow, the OCA still has Readers and Subdeacons without necessarily expecting them to go any further, while the Byzantine Catholics have yet to reclaim these positions as ends in themselves.
BTW, not all orthodox jurisdictions formally tonsure Readers today. The Greeks in America do not, for example.

During the great expansion of the early Church when many adults were preparing for baptism, there was a "catechist," largely ignored now. Interstingly, the Orthodox Church of Albania has restored it since they also have had a large number of adult baptisms. I don't believe that they tonsure their catechists. I think that they are given a blessing to catechize.

Next is the "reader," of which I serve as a living (I didn't want to write "good") example. They are often tonsured and assigned to a parish. This is a permanent position. Sometimes, the bishop or presbyter simply blesses a server (no tonsure) to function as a reader for a particular liturgical service.

Finally, there are "subdeacons." My home parish was blessed to have one serve there for more than 30 years. Some are ordained, as ours was, and some are blessed to serve for a particular service. In the Byzantine tradition, subdeacons frequently read little litanies and move through the beautiful or royal doors as deacons do. The Slavic practice does not usually allow this.

Major orders begin with "deacon."

In Christ.

In the Coptic Orthodox Church we haven't changed any of our minor orders. The lowest is Chanter or Singer, who lead the congregation, and is the lowest rank allowed to serve at the altar in the absense of a full deacon. A bishop's prayer is needed to become a chanter. Next is Reader, which is the lowest rank that can preach the gospel, and should be the ones to read the Gospel, although chanters can be given permission to do so if needed. Next is subdeacon, who should lead everything outside the altar, leading all the chanters, and also able to function as a reader. Subdeacons are not minor orders, they are part of the higher orders, but they may not help distribute Communion, and may work outside the Church, dressing 'normally' except for service. Then full deacon, the first major order who cannot be employed outside the Church and who wears a cassok all the time, who serves at the altar for the liturgical role of deacon, helps distribute Communion (lowest rank able to do this), and takes Communion to the sick, as well as other service roles. There are also archchaters, people who are experts of the hymns and chants, and so are more appropriately made archchanters than Readers, historically they have often been blind, but not always. Right now in Northa America almost all these roles (except distributing Communion, which is done only be the preist in the absense of a deacon) are handled by chanters and readers since it's economically hard to have full deacons at churches here.

So that covers 2 of the 7 (minor) orders of the Church of God, the other 5 are: doorkeepers (who kept public siners and heretics out of the church), monks, virgins, and widows, and finally exorcists.

http://www.stmarycoptorthodox.org/liturgy-4-intercessions.htm

The Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church in Canada (or at least the Toronto Eparchy) has kept the minor orders, and not only for transitional purposes. I know of sub-deacons who are ordained as such and will progress no higher. I do not know of readers and cantors ordained as such, but I'm told that this commonly happens in Ukraine, where women are set apart to these latter two orders in addition to men.

In the Latin Church many of the minor orders have been abolished or amalgamated into one sort of generic minor order.

In the Byzantine tradition, one is set aside sequentially as acolyte, cantor, and reader. These are typically all done in one service at the present. Subdiaconate can also be conferred at the same service but traditionally it was conferred separately. There were more minor orders, specifically door-keeper, in the Great Church (Hagia Sophia) but which have fallen into disuse and are not present as distinct minor orders anymore.

In my case I was set aside as acolyte, cantor, and tonsured reader in one service and ordained subdeacon in a separate service by the bishop.

The Particular Law of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the USA specifically recognizes minor orders and lists duties, obligations and clerical dress requirements for them, especially subdeacons. The Instruction for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches also whole-heartedly recommends the re-establishment of minor orders in the Eastern Catholic Churches.

There is discussion in at least two of the Ukrainian Catholic eparchial diaconate programs in the USA for taking an approach similar to Toronto for establishing a shorter subdiaconate formation track.

Any standing Eastern Catholic bishops could be approached by a candidate for consideration as a candidate for tonsure as reader and ordination to the subdiaconate if commesurate educational and ministerial experience was demonstrated along with the recommendation of the pastor.

Dear Diak Radoslav,

I'm just wondering why a Subdeacon would require theological education of any kind, apart from liturgical training (and be in possession of a great voice)?

I think it is great when they do, like you, O Doctor Angelis!

But why would this be mandatory?

Alex

Dear Eric,

It is worrying if some of the orders have fallen into disuse in the Byzantine Churches, but none have been "officially repressed".

I think a subdeacon should be an exemplary Christian, and amodel parishioner, also, an involved member of the Church (and this not merely at the Liturgy). To my mind, a model parishioner is one who takes time to study and learn, and to be informed about the faith.

This would be not so much a 'certificate' course, or a programme of formation, so much as a fundamental attitude.

I am delighted in this forum, in that I learn something almost every time I come here.

I think "mandatory training" for subdeacons is not required. It is certainly not needed to someone who is always studying the ways of God.

Alex, I didn't suggest any fixed course of study was necessary. I just suggested it is up to the hierarch to determine what the "commesurate level of education" needs to be. If you can serve at the altar, know the services, be a good family man and exemplary Christian, and that is good enough for the hierarch, then "Axios"!

Alex, your point brings up an important issue. I think all too often our church has mimicked the Latin scholastic seminary model for all clerical preparation in our Church instead of just blessing those who are ready and worthy with "Axios" and letting them serve according to their talents and charismata.

Dear Diak Radoslav,

Is Axios studying to be a Subdeacon?

Thank you for your insights!

Your writing style, to me at least, gives off vibrations that you are perhaps undergoing some suffering in your life right now?

None of my business, but I get a strong feeling from reading your posts that you are carrying a Cross of some sort.

Prayers!

Alex

I have been thinking about this question, and since all streams from our experience of the Liturgy, I wonder if the way our Liturgy is celebrated in America has some bearing on the need for these orders.

In Europe I was able to take part in many Byzantine celebrations. One thing that I remember is the parts given over to a 'reader'. In this, I don't mean only the lessons of the Apostle, and the Old Testament. The trisagion prayers, the 'vouchsafe', the psalms at the six psalms and the kathismata, the troparia of the canons, etc. etc. In this, there seemed to be a balance between various ministries, eg., parts given to the priest, the deacon, the congregation (or choir), and the reader.

In the Church I attend, the priority seems to be congregational singing. (I am a great fan of this tradition, and support it completely.) When psalms occur in the service, the whole congregation wants to sing! The other parts I heard chanted by a reader in Europe, are almost always taken collectively by the whole congregation.

This certainly works for the Liturgy, and also for Vespers in its abbreviated parochial form (where the kathisma is usually shortened). But if the longer services are taken, or all the psalms included, or Matins is restored, then would the congregation tire of singing every word? Would that really work? Would there be a reason to restore some of these parts (psalms, prayers, etc.) to a reader? I think the congregation would enjoy the break from constant singing at longer services, and pray by listening...

In this case, there would be a role in the Liturgy, and then the order would be restored more naturally.

I wonder if we might look at the Liturgy, and try giving some of these parts that I have seen taken by a reader, to a reader, and see if it works?

Elias