Question:
"How does one become a Reader, and
what does a Reader do?"
Answer:
We learn a great deal about what it means to be a Reader from the admonition
that the bishop gives to a Reader after he is tonsured (i.e., made a Reader):
"My son, the
first degree in the Priesthood is that of Reader. It behooveth thee therefore
to peruse the divine Scriptures daily, to the end that the hearers, regarding
thee may receive edification; that thou in nowise shaming thine election,
mayest prepare thyself for a higher degree. For by a chaste, holy and upright
life thou shalt gain the favor of the God of loving-kindness, and shalt render
thyself worthy of a greater ministry, through Jesus Christ our Lord: to whom be
glory unto the ages of ages. Amen."
This tells us that
the office of the Reader is the first rank of the priesthood. There are two
types of clergy: minor clergy, and major clergy. Readers are tonsured, which
means that rather than being ordained in the Altar, they are set apart by
having some of their hair cut in the form of the Cross (as also happens at
baptism, and when someone is made a monastic) and ordained in the Nave of the
Church, as are Subdeacons, who are also minor clergy. The major clergy are
Bishops, Priest, and Deacons.
But what it means
for this to be the first rank of the priesthood is that the same basic
requirements to be ordained a Priest are also required of a Reader. A reader
must of course be Orthodox. He must also be a man who has not been married more
than once. He must be of a good reputation. There are other possible
impediments to ordination, and most of them apply equally to readers (there are
different age requirements for deacons, priests, and bishops, and bishops are
required to be monastics).
A Reader should
also read the Scriptures daily, and be familiar enough with the texts that he
reads that those who hear him are able to understand him, and be edified by his
reading. In addition to that, a Reader should learn the rubrics of the
services, and should learn to sing his way through the services by learning the
tones, and how to use and combine the liturgical texts at the kliros. In most parishes, there
are choir directors who do most of that work at the main services, but a Reader
should learn this as well, so that if he is the only person at the kliros (as
can happen at some of the daily services) he will be able to read and sing all
of the parts of the services that are not specific to the Bishop, Priest, and
Deacon.
The admonition to
the Reader that he "in nowise" shame his election means that he
should be an example to others in the Church. As St. Paul admonished St.
Timothy: "be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conduct, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12). And a reader
should do this in order to prepare himself "for a higher degree." In
other words, a reader should be preparing himself for the possibility of
serving in a higher rank of the clergy. Of course all Christians should try to
be an example "in word, in conduct, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in
purity," but this should be especially the case for clergy. This means a
Reader should be personally pious, loving towards others, and should love the
services of the Church.
Anyone who is able
(and of course an Orthodox Christian) can serve the function of a Reader, when
needed. And there are many people who are not tonsured as Readers who do.
However, one who actually is a Reader has a duty to fill this role, and so
should be zealous to prepare himself to fulfill this role, and should be eager
to actually do it, being present whenever possible for the services, and making
themselves available to do their duty.
If someone is
interested in becoming a reader, they should speak to the priest and begin
applying themselves to learning how to properly do it. Even if they are not
eventually tonsured as a Reader, the knowledge they acquire is beneficial to
any Orthodox Christian.
For more on what it
means to be a Reader, I would recommend reading Instruction for the Church
Reader as well as A Guide for Readers in the Orthodox Church, by Fr. Geoffrey
Korz.
By Fr. John Whiteford
Source: http://fatherjohn.blogspot.com/2016/10/stump-priest-readers.html
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