Blessed Sacrament Church at 3127 James St, Syracuse, NY 13206 US - About Being An Altar Server

Before Mass begins

1) Try and arrive no later than 5 minutes before mass

  *If you cannot serve a particular mass, it is up to YOU to   

    find a sub

2) Go downstairs and find an appropriately sized alb,  

    seasonal cincher(green, purple, red, or white), & cross

3) Come back upstairs & go to back of church

   a) Crossbearer-bring back processional cross

   b) Candlebearers-bring back candles(will be lit before    

       we process in)

   c) Observer servers-just come back

**Note: Any server can participate at mass as an observer.  

   This is encouraged for new servers and open to all  

    servers

Start of Mass

1) Crossbearer leads procession: do not begin UNTIL

    singing starts!

    a) Very important to keep a reverent pace, not too fast,

        not too slow!

2) Candlebearers follow crossbearer

    (not too close b/c of candles!), followed by observers

3) Line up in front of altar: crossbearer on left, one   

     candlebearer to the right of the priest, one on the left.

    a) Slight bow when priest bows

4) Crossbearer brings cross to its stand, candlebearers

     place candles on their stands next to the altar

5) Candlebearers sit on chairs next to priest, crossbearer

     on chair next to cross, observers on chairs behind priest

Liturgy of the Word

1) It is expected that the altar servers listen to God’s word

    with attention and reverence.

    a) Looking off into space, playing with cincher, etc.,

        not appropriate

    b) It is also good to know the appropriate responses to 

         prayers, as well as the prayers themselves!

         (Ex-Gloria, Creed, Our Father)

Liturgy of the Eucharist

1) After prayer of the faithful is completed, candlebearers

    get up to set the altar

    a) This includes: bringing over sacramentary(red book),

       chalice and extra ciborium, glass chalices, & purificators

    b) Please line up glass chalices on the RIGHT of the altar

        (not on both sides or on left side)

2) Priest will get up and candlebearers AND observers will

     help bring up the gifts of bread, wine, & water

3) Servers hand the bread to priest at the altar and hold

    wine & water

    a) Priest blesses bread, takes wine, water and then         

        gives water back to server. Servers wait until priest

        pours wine into chalices and then take empty container

    b) After priest blesses wine, servers come over with 

        water and bowl to cleanse the priest’s hands

    c) Candlebearers and observers go back to seats

At Communion

1) All servers line up on LEFT side of altar to receive

2) When priest and eucharistic ministers are distributing communion, altar servers clear off altar(chalice, sacramentary, etc) and bring them back to creedance table

End of Mass

1) Once priest gets up, candlebearers get candles,  

    crossbearer gets cross, and all line up down in front of  

    altar

    a) Line up at base of altar the same as you came in

2) Priest bows and servers bow with him

3) Crossbearer leads procession out(at a reverent pace),

    followed by candlebearers, observers, lectors, and

    priest

4) Blow out candles, return candles to stands, hang up alb

    and cincher