On 13th March 2022, being the second Sunday of lent, St. Pius X Lagos chapel officially vested her Altar Boys with St. Stephen's medal as a symbol of their order and devotion to their patron.

St. Stephen: model for altar servers

To the guild members who are privileged to wear this medal and cord, it is not only a sacramental, but also a reminder of their model and patron, St. Stephen, the Protomartyr and one of the Church's first deacons appointed by the Holy Apostles.

The medal is rich in significance, being formed of the chi rho symbol (the sign of victory that Christ revealed to Emperor Constantine) over which rests a crown (Stephen being Greek for "the crowned one"), while arrayed underneath are two palm branches (a symbol of martrydom); surrounding these signs is the Guild's motto: Cui Servire Regnare Est (to serve is to reign), referring to the deacon's role of assisting the celebrant during the sacred liturgy. The red cord of course recalls the blood that St. Stephen shed for Christ.

What is the Archconfraternity?

The Archconfraternity of St. Stephen was founded in London, England in 1905. That same year, St. Pius X bestowed his permanent apostolic blessing on the altar serving guild, while later enriching it with many indulgences and privileges. In 1955, the Archconfraternity paid homage to St. Pius X's solicitude by adopting him as its secondary patron.

To serve God well

Part of this structure consists in the pedagogical hierarchy of ranks (Postulant, Junior Acolyte, Senior Acolyte and Master of Ceremonies) which shows the importance of the various positions (e.g., such as an acolyte at Low Mass versus a torchbearer or thurifer at High Mass) while also helping the members to perfect their service. To qualify for the successive ranks, the servers must undergo training for certain positions, are tested on their knowledge and ability, and then promoted accordingly.

Through the adherence to the Archconfraternity of St. Stephen's spirit, object and rules, altar servers not only provide an edifying execution of the sacred liturgy as the Church desires, but also learn what the ceremonies mean while simultaneously having their souls sanctified.