Sabas the Lector

 

Saint Sabas the Lector

 

Also known as

 

Sabas the Goth

Saba

Sabbas

Sava

Savo

Savva

 

memorial

12 April

 

Profile

 

In the early Church, each of the old clerical minor and major orders of Clergy were for the most part, permanent orders based on one’s function at the Mass, generally not just offices a man passes through on his way to the priesthood.     This is not always the case, but generally speaking.  

 

So there were men ordained as permanent Porters, Lectors, Exorcists, and Acolytes.    Likewise, there were men ordained as Sub-Deacons, Deacons, Priests and Bishops.    As time went on, for various reasons, these permanent orders sort of became more private and held only in the seminary and bestowed on men going through the process of ordination to the priesthood.     The Order of Deacons, here in the Western Church was re-instituted as a permanent Order, not just a passing through order, with Vatican 2.   So today we have Deacons and Transitional Deacons.  The “minor orders” of clergy along with the order of Sub Deacon were done away with, for the most part.  Some religious orders still have Sub Deacons.  

 

We still have the office of Lector (or "reader"), and Acolyte, but these are not ordinations they are formal institutions, on men and now women, since Francis changed the Canon relating to this office in January 2021.    Usually in practice instituted Lectors and Acolytes, will go on to become deacons or priests.   If these men do not continue the formation process to become ordained as a deacon or priest, their institution as a Lector and/or Acolyte remains valid for life.  It will be interesting to see if the inclusion of women will produce more instituted lectors and acolytes who are not on the path to ordination, serving in the parish.            

 

Anyhoo, Sabas was a “permanent” Lector in what we call Romania today, he was captured by the Goths and tortured for not sacrificing to their idols.   His bodine was tied to a stone and thrown into the river Mussovo; it was eventually recovered.  

 

Born

334 in Romania

Died

12 April 372

Patronage

lectors

torture victims