The sacrist (and his helper, the sub-sacrist)

Ecclesiastical vestments, with stole (centre)
© Victoria & Albert Museum
<click to enlarge>

The sacrist was one of the leading obedientiaries and was responsible for the general care of the church; his office, the sacristy, adjoined the church. The sacrist’s main duties included opening and closing the doors to the church, ensuring that there were candles and oil, and preparing the abbot’s staff and stole. Whenever a novice made his profession as a monk and ceremoniously received the tonsure, it was the sacrist’s job to burn the hair clippings. After the service the sacrist rinsed the corporals, veils, towels and altar cloths in separate bowls and then passed the altar cloth to the cellarer to be washed with the rest of the linens. He then washed the others in warm lye-water and dried them; the sacrist then wore albs and smoothed the corporals with a smoothing stone, folded them in three and carefully put them away until next time.

It must have been difficult, without a clock, to know exactly when to ring the bell for each Office. What happened if the sacrist rang the bell too early or too late?
If the sacrist rang the bell too early or too late he had to make satisfaction for this at the chapter meeting. If he rang the bell so late on a feast day that the monks had to speed up the chant or cut the reading, then he had to stand bowed over the presbytery step in the church from when the Kyrie was sung until after the Deo Gratias.

The sacrist was responsible for the lights in the dormitory and cloister, and for timekeeping. It was his duty to sound the bell for all services in the church and for meals.

The sacrist was assisted by a deputy and perhaps other helpers, depending on the size of the community

<back>