"On the Feast of Stephen..."

[cambrensis]

Yes - I am quoting from the well-known carol as today has been the "Feast of Stephen", i.e. St Stephen's Day in the Church. The world calls it "Boxing Day" and tries to persuade us to spend even more than we have already!. I weakened and bought a bottle of red as I'd had none in over Christmas Day itself.

Stephen is recognised as the first Christian martyr; if ever you heard the tale, it is reckoned that Saul (later St Paul) held the coats of those who stoned him. That is not the point of this brief post, however.

In the church the day is special to altar servers, and so a special Mass is said for altar servers in general and for those of the local parish in particular. Apart from all of them receiving the good wishes and prayers of the community, other things are recognised....completion of training, five years' service, ten years....and so on. The number of honours to be won seem to be limitless.

However, what amazes me each year is the sheer number of young people who are involved (we do have somein their 60s as well!!)....In total we have 58 altar servers used across two parish churches. Unfortunately it is not a simple divide by two job as the number of Masses held in any ordinary week varies in each buiding; as for "high days and "holy-days" - the logistics of the whole thing escape me. It is all lists and rotas, the younger ones will be about 8 yrs old....and yet it works!

So much praise is due to these youngsters and to their parents who have to get them to training sessions several times a week!

[burgyeb]

Bump

[HerMajesty]

That is really interesting! Didn't see it on the day. I find the stories of the different Feast Days and Saints illuminating, as the church I attended as a kid didn't really do Saints like that. There are so many layers of intrigue and humanity in their lives. And it certainly does take a lot of individuals pitching in to make a real church. We had a song as kids that went "I am the Church, you are the Church, we are the Church together....all around the world, all who love the Lord, yes, we're the Church together." or something close. If politicians, most televangalists, power hungry splinter groups, and random people could get past using religion(s) for their own gain, the world would be kinder, more honest place.

[cambrensis]

Very true, my Queen!

One thing I forgot to mention was that the Feast is also the occasion of the annual "whip-round" for cash for vestments for servers. We are warned in advance. ...

[HerMajesty]

Is "Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephan"...the song you were referencing?

[cambrensis]

Is "Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephan"...the song you were referencing?

Yes....just about everybody in the West knows at east the first verse so I did not bother to quote it.

The older servers I mentioned (one is older than I but lives within 500 yds of the main Parish Church ...) are normally the ones called upon to serve at funerals.