Altar Positions:
For the sake of maintaining order in the Sanctuary during the services of the Divine Liturgy, the below system has been implemented. On any given service, there are four deacons serving the altar in the sanctuary. They are assigned a number (1-4), which defines their role and where they should stand. It is based on the following diagram:
Below are the roles for each position
- Prepares the Sanctuary for the Liturgy
- Presents the bread offerings (if no other clergy is present)
- Flips the pages of the Euchologion for Abouna
- Distributes the Deacon Responses
- Places and removes the Prospherine (if no other clergy is present)
- Bundles the altar coverings
- Holds the wine cruet in the Offertory
- Chants "One is the Holy Father..."
- Holds the cross at the East side, facing west, and chants "Saved. Amen..."
- Chants the Deacon Confession
- Assists Abouna in hand washing
- Assists in washing the Holy Vessels
- Prepares the candles for Deacons 1 and 2 at the appropriate time
- Serves in Vespers
- Performs all processions (Pauline, Praxis, Gospel)
- Chants "In the wisdom of God..." from the door of the altar, holding the Cross
- Chants "Greet one another..." from the East side of the altar, holding the Cross
- Holds the gospel during the Absolution
- Prepares the candles for Deacons 3 and 4 at the appropriate time
- Serves in Vespers
- Cleans and prepares the Censer
- Adds charcoal to the censer at the appropriate times
- Presents and retrieves the censer at the appropriate times
- Holds the water cruet in the Offertory
- Retrieves the papers with the names of the Departed
- Holds the candle next to the Blood during the Distribution
Processions
During the Holy 50 Days and other occasions that include a Procession around the Church, the following system is used:
Position 1: Holds the Processional Cross
Position 2: Holds the Icon of the Feast
Position 3: Holds the Second icon, if there is one!
Position 4: Holds the Incense
Crosier
In the presence of His Eminence the Metropolitan Abba Youssef, a Subdeacon will be assigned to hold the Crosier (Bishop's Serpent Staff). The below is a rough guide:
- Hold it preceding the bishop during "Pray for these holy and precious gifts" (The Procession of the Lamb)
- Hold it on the East side of the altar, facing West during the Signings and Thanksgiving Prayer. After the Thanksgiving Prayer, as the bishop is circuiting the altar to give the Absolution of the Ministers, return the staff to him.
- Hold it next to the deacon holding the Cross during the Minor Circuit of Incense, opposite the Bishop who is raising incense. After completing the Circuit, stand behind the father the Bishop following him if he performs the rest of the Circuit.
- If there is a procession (e.g. during the Holy 50 Days), follow the father the bishop in the procession
- Stand behind the father the bishop during the reading of the Gospel and the sermon
- Stand on the West Side of the altar during the Anaphora until the Epiclesis, at which point the Staff is no longer held