Asperges
Liturgical practice of sprinkling with holy water as a reminder of baptism.
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Glossary
An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church
Glossary definitions adapted from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians, edited by Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY.
Aspergillum
A brush, branch, metal rod, or other instrument used to sprinkle holy water at the asperges.
Aspirant
A person seeking ordination as a deacon or priest, or a person who desires to be admitted to a religious order. May also be referred to as an applicant.
Assistant Bishop
A bishop who supports the diocesan bishop by extending episcopal ministry, presence, and pastoral service in the diocese.
Athanasian Creed
A statement of faith dating from the fourth or fifth centuries, never appointed for use in the Episcopal liturgy.
Athanasius of Alexandria
A fourth-century Egyptian bishop and theologian, regarded as the theologian of the incarnation for his insistence on the full divinity of the second person of the Trinity. Feast day: May 2.
Augustine
A Christian monk who became the first archbishop of Canterbury in the late sixth century. Feast day: May 26.
Augustine of Hippo
A fifth-century bishop and theologian from North Africa, widely regarded as one of the major theologians in the history of Christianity. Feast day: Aug. 28.
Aumbry
A cupboard or secure receptacle in the side wall of the sanctuary or sacristy, used to store sacred vessels or the reserved elements of the Eucharist.
Baptism
The full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s body, the church.