A Guide To Assisting The Bishop at Mass-6
A Guide To Assisting The Bishop at Mass-6
A Guide To Assisting The Bishop at Mass-6
Normally the pastor, at least one deacon and five or six altar servers assist at a Mass with a bishop:
1 – thurifer to carry the thurible and incense boat
1 – crucifer to carry the cross and serve as book bearer
2 – candle servers to accompany the cross
1 – server to handle the crosier
1 – server to handle the miter (crosier and miter can be combined)
Notes for Miter server:
When the miter is presented to the bishop, the lappets should face up and the pointed end of the miter should be
pointing to the server (away from the bishop). The bishop removes the miter after the crosier has been handed away.
The miter is always given to the bishop before the crosier.
Notes for Crucifer/Book, Crozier and Miter servers:
The bishop may ask you to stay with him after he takes what you have brought. This is because he knows he is going
to need your help in a moment. Just stand reverently.
If Incense is used, then before Mass
• Light incense 10-15 minutes before Mass
• 1-2 minutes before Mass, thurifer brings thurible and boat to bishop, hands deacon boat and raises lid on
thurible
• Thurifer then moves to head of procession
Processional Order
[thurifer]
candle - crucifer - candle
[lectors]
Deacon with Book of Gospels
Priest(s)
Bishop
crozier and miter bearers
Entrance Procession
• Bishop wears miter and crozier
• Servers carrying objects only bow head to altar then go places.
• [Thurifer goes to the back right of the altar and waits for bishop to kiss altar.]
At foot of altar
• Bishop hands crozier to crozier server
• Bishop removes miter and hands it to miter server
• Crozier server places crozier in stand, miter server takes miter to his/her seat
If incense is used
• [After bishop kisses the altar, he approaches the thurifer. Thurifer hands boat to deacon or bishop and then raises the top of the
thurible. After bishop incenses altar and crucifix he returns thurible to thurifer who places it in the stand and goes to seat.]
Introductory Rites
• Thurifer add 1 charcoal
• Toward the end of the Gloria, crucifer brings Missal, opened to Collect as marked by ribbon and holds book
open for the bishop. Then is seated after prayer.
Liturgy of the Word
• Miter to the bishop after the Collect prayer, before first reading. He wears miter until after 2nd reading (or
psalm if no 2nd reading)
• Before Gospel
o Thurifer brings boat and thurible to bishop (hand boat, lift lid, bishop places incense)
o Deacon kneels for blessing while miter & crozier servers approach
o Bishop removes miter and gives to miter server
o Crozier server hands crozier to bishop, stay near bishop
• After Gospel
o Crozier server receives crozier from bishop
o Deacon brings Book of Gospels to bishop to kiss
o No miter or crozier during homily
• Homily
o Check thurible for charcoal. Add if needed at start of homily.
• Universal Prayer
o No miter or crozier.
o Miter to bishop after intercessions.
Rite of Confirmation
• Bishop seated without miter during Presentation of the Candidates
• No miter or crozier for homily
• After homily
o Miter to the bishop
o Crozier to the bishop
o Crucifer/book approaches with Order of Confirmation Book
o Miter and crozier servers stay with bishop. Don’t leave until after the Confirmations.
• Miter and crozier for Renewal of Baptismal Promises
• No miter or crozier for Laying on of Hands prayer (Bishop will ask servers to stay with him)
• Thurifer add 1 charcoal
• Anointing with Chrism
o Bishop takes miter and crozier
o Deacon brings Chrism and a purificator to the bishop
o Candidates come forward in two lines
o Candle servers prepare to bring tray with bowl with lemon halves, pitcher of water and towel to
wash bishop’s hands following anointing.
• After anointing
o Crozier is removed
o Candle servers bring tray to clean bishop’s hands
o Miter is removed after bishop cleans hands
• Intercessions – no miter or crozier
• Miter to bishop after intercessions.