To n. 668. - Appendix XV. Historical-Liturgical Matters Concerning the Sacrament of Order

1. On the distinction of the various grades, already in the third century, in the letter of Pope St. Cornelius concerning the schism of Novatian, to Bishop Fabius of Antioch, the major and minor orders are enumerated thus: "Therefore did that defender of the Gospel not know that there ought to be one bishop in a Catholic church, in which nevertheless he knew (for how could he have been ignorant of it?) that there were forty-six presbyters; seven deacons and as many subdeacons; forty-two acolytes; fifty-two exorcists and readers with doorkeepers; finally widows, with the sick and needy, more than fifteen hundred" (Euseb., Hist. eccl., VI, 43, 11). To each region of the City there were assigned one deacon, one subdeacon, and, as it seems, six acolytes.

Those eight grades are found in not a few churches of the first centuries; but in the East, acolytes, exorcists, and doorkeepers do not seem to have obtained a place in the clergy.

Since they did not wish to exceed the septenary number of deacons, of apostolic origin, subdeacons were constituted, to whom was committed the care of the sepulchers of martyrs, relics, sacred vessels, linens, and liturgical vestments. In sacred offices the subdeacons received the offerings and offered to the archdeacon the water to be poured into the chalice.

The first grade of minor order is that of acolytes, who, since from the beginning of the fifth century they had a part to fulfill in the Eucharistic office, especially in the rather complex rite of breaking, in pontifical Masses, the Eucharistic bread, can themselves be called helpers of the deacons. They also carried into the various parishes of the City the Fermentum, that is, a particle of the bread consecrated in the Mass of the Pope.

In antiquity, however, the lectorate excels, which existed in the second century. In great number, and sometimes gathered into schools, lectors prepared themselves for ecclesiastical ministries. Gradually, however, the readings were no longer committed to them; and in the eighth century the epistle began to be read by the subdeacon. At Rome the school of lectors gradually passed into the school of cantors, traces of which exist from the seventh century.

Exorcists were first faithful persons endowed with a special charism of expelling demons. When they were constituted in an ecclesiastical grade, the discipline of energumens was committed to them.

Concerning the doorkeepers, who watched over the doors of the Church, there is little discussion in the sources.

Concerning tonsure, cf. the things said above, n. 28. Only in the tenth century was tonsure the mode of enrolling men among clerics.

II. Concerning the minister of ordinations, we observe that already by the fourth canon of the Council of Nicaea (325) it is prescribed that several bishops be present at episcopal consecration; and that already in the eighth century there are found traces of privileges of abbots conferring first tonsure and minor orders.

III. Concerning the age of those to be ordained. The ancient discipline was more severe, so that it required thirty or thirty-five years for the priesthood, twenty-five for deacons. Adhering to the vestiges of his predecessors, Pope Zosimus decreed that adolescent lectors could be promoted to a higher grade only in the twentieth year of age. Then for four years they had to remain acolytes and subdeacons, and for five years deacons.

IV. Ordination by leap is prohibited in the thirteenth canon of the Council of Sardica (fourth century); yet less attention was paid to some omitted minor orders, especially the doorkeepership.

V. Days of ordinations. Since in Acts of the Apostles, c. 13, v. 2, 3, they imposed hands upon Barnabas and Paul while fasting, it was natural to appoint fasting days for ordinations. Ordinations in the first centuries, as the Liber Pontificalis reports to us (narrating the deeds of the Pontiffs), had customarily been done in the month of December. Gelasius (492-496) mentions the four times and the Saturday before Passion Sunday as days of ordination of priests and deacons; Pelagius (555-561) invites a deacon named Latinus that he be ordained priest at Rome on Holy Saturday. Thus the present days have been alleged. Alexander III (1159-1181) himself first decreed that the subdiaconate be conferred on the same days.

The consecration of bishops was already done on a Sunday in the fifth century. Since deacons and presbyters were ordained on Saturday in the celebration of the vigil, it was quite consonant with the nature of things that the ceremony, prolonged until Sunday morning, should be completed by the consecration of bishops. In the tenth century the feasts of the Apostles were added.

That ordinations were done within the solemnities of Mass is witnessed by the most ancient liturgical books, for example, the Leonine Sacramentary.

VI. Historical matters concerning the rites. In the various ordinations the Roman rite and the Gallican rite are mixed, though in an unequal ratio.

1. Tonsure. Today: a) the bishop invites prayer for those who are "about to lay down the hair of their heads" (Oremus, Fratres dilectissimi); b) he confers tonsure while the one being tonsured says "The Lord is my portion, etc." and the choir sings Psalm 15 (Conserva me Domine); c) he prays over those tonsured (Praesta quaesumus); d) Psalm 23 is sung: Domini est terra; e) a new prayer is made for those tonsured (Adesto Domine); f) the surplice is imposed (Induat te Dominus); g) a third time prayer is made for those tonsured (Omnipotens); h) there is a final exhortation, in which the bishop warns those tonsured that they have been enrolled into the clergy.

Now, in the supplements which, in the Frankish Empire, Alcuin added to the Sacramentary which Adrian I had sent to Charlemagne, and which is called Gregorian, there are found (pp. 181, 182, ed. Wilson) the formulas: Oremus Fratres; Dominus pars; Praesta, omnipotens Deus; Adesto Domine: these are the more ancient parts of the ceremonies.

For the formula Omnipotens, the third prayer for those tonsured, is found only in the tenth century; the chant of Psalms 15 and 23 and the imposition of the surplice, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries; the formula Induat te finally in the fifteenth century.

2. The composition of the four minor orders is the same. Those to be ordained are ordered to approach and are called by name. The Pontiff explains and inculcates the office of the new grade. The instruments are handed over; a prayer is recited over those enrolled (Deus Patrum... Oremus Fratres... Deus Patrum... Domine sancte); finally, by another prayer of blessing introduced through Oremus, Flectamus genua, and which is said without the miter (Domine sancte), the ceremony is concluded. To the acolyte, however, two other prayers are added.

In the ancient Roman liturgical books no ceremony occurs for the ordination of doorkeepers, lectors, and exorcists, which was not performed solemnly. As to acolytes, in a pontifical Mass the one to be ordained presented himself to the celebrant, during Communion, holding a sack in which the Eucharistic bread to be broken was to be placed. The Pontiff blessed the candidate, saying: "Through the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary and of the blessed Apostle Peter, may the Lord save and guard and protect thee."

Gallican documents, the Statuta ecclesiae antiqua of the sixth century, the Missale Francorum of the end of the seventh century or the beginning of the eighth, and the Pontifical of Egbert of York (732-766), contain the greater part of the rites and formulas which are used today in these ordinations.

3. Concerning the subdiaconate. The ordination is composed in the same way as for the minor orders, except that the litanies and another exhortation of the bishop were added.

In the ancient Roman rite, the Pontiff, during Communion, presented an empty chalice to the one to be ordained, and blessed him with the formula also used for acolytes.

Mention also, as it seems, was made of the title of the subdeacon, that is, of the Roman parish to which he was ascribed. The Gelasian Sacramentary (p. 22) contains this formula: "With the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we have chosen into the order of deacon or presbyter that subdeacon or deacon from that title (sic)."

Besides that handing over of the chalice and the designation of the title, most of the rites and formulas by which subdeacons were ordained are Gallican. They are found in the Statuta ecclesiae antiqua and in the Missale Francorum. More recent, however, are the handing over of the maniple and tunicle, and especially of the amice and book.

4. Concerning the diaconate and presbyterate: a) In the Gelasian Sacramentary (ed. Wilson, pp. 22-30) the Roman rite is indicated to us thus. Soon the future ordination is announced by the Pope: "With the help of the Lord God, etc... we have chosen... that man. If anyone has anything against these men for God and on account of God, let him come out with confidence and speak. Yet let him be mindful of his own Communion." On Saturday, in the Mass of the vigil, the ordination properly such was done.

In those to be ordained deacons there was an invitation to pray (Oremus dilectissimi...), which are the beginning of the present prayer: Oremus fratres carissimi as far as "may preserve the gifts." Then the litanies; then the imposition of hands upon the head of each; then the prayer Deus collator, which is found in the Leonine Sacramentary (ed. Feltoe, p. 120), but today has not been preserved; and the Eucharistic prayer beginning from Vere dignum est, almost the present preface, which the Pontiff interrupts today to place his hand on the head of each, saying: "Receive the Holy Spirit unto strength, etc."; finally, the embrace.

In those to be ordained priests the process was the same, but with diverse formulas (Oremus fratres dilectissimi and Oremus carissimi of the present liturgy), and the present Vere dignum.

In the Gallican rite the ordination itself began as now in the Roman rite, with the interrogation made to the people concerning the manner of life of the candidate. The people answered: "He is worthy." There followed the invitation to pray: Commune votum (which prayer has been preserved in the ordination of deacons); a prayer said with extended hands (Domine Sancte, Pater fidei), which is now recited at the end of the ceremony. In that rite also the ceremonies were the same for priests and for deacons; but the allocution for presenting the elect has been preserved (Quoniam, fratres, ecclesiae navis); the prayer which the Pontiff said by extending his hand, together with all the presbyters, upon the head of those to be ordained (Deus, sanctificationum omnium auctor) is now found after the handing over of the chasuble. Finally there was the anointing of the hands with the present formula, except for the beginning: "Let these hands be consecrated." Here again is discerned the mixture of the ancient Roman usage and the ancient Gallican usage. For the rest, in the sixth or seventh century the handing over of the instruments was introduced, concerning which the ancient sacramentaries are silent.

5. Episcopate. Formerly there was the same general process which was used for deacons and presbyters: examination; invitation to pray; litanies; imposition of hands with a twofold prayer (collect and Eucharistic prayer). Although it was of great moment, it is not that Roman examination, but the Gallican one, which has been received into the present Pontifical. The ancient one, however, has been preserved in the third part of the Pontifical, under the title "Concerning the evening scrutiny," etc. The imposition of the miter and gloves is rather recent; more ancient is the handing over of the book of the Gospels, the pastoral staff, and the anointing.

E. DE M., S.I.