Acolyte (Noun)
Meaning
Someone who assists a priest or minister in a liturgical service; a cleric ordained in the highest of the minor orders in the Roman Catholic Church but not in the Anglican Church or the Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The young acolyte carefully lit the candles on the altar before the morning mass.
- In the Anglican tradition, the term 'server' is often used instead of 'acolyte' to describe the person assisting the priest.
- As an acolyte, he was responsible for preparing the communion elements and assisting the priest during the service.
- The priest was assisted by a team of experienced acolytes who had been trained in the intricacies of the liturgy.
- After serving as an acolyte for several years, he decided to pursue further theological studies and become a priest himself.