IV.1.9
THE SACRISTAN
(CUSTOS ECCLESIAE)
The supervision of the services that were celebrated at the
altar, as opposed to the choral phase of the opus dei, was
the responsibility of the sacristan. Abbot Wala refers to
him simply as "keeper of the church (custos ecclesiae) and
lists among his responsibilities the "care of the lamps of
the church and its every ornament, and the regulation of
the hours" (competentia horarum), i.e., the important task
of assuring the correct maintenance of the prescribed
liturgical timetable. He also "receives the alms that come
to the brothers."[58]
Later consuetudinaries inform us that
his manifold duties included maintaining the cleanliness of
the chalices and cruets for wine and water, preparing the
host, ringing the bells or instructing others to do so, distributing
candles throughout the household offices, and
taking charge of burials, both lay and religious.[59]
