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Glite Dictionary
ostiarius

ostiarius

9.9
A church helper in older times who guarded the doors during services
  • noun
  • Archaic
: ostiario
  • In the Middle Ages, an ostiarius was responsible for guarding the church doors during services.

Examples

  • He studied the four minor orders before being ordained as an ostiarius.

  • The office of ostiarius was discontinued after reforms by the Catholic Church.

  • The ostiarius played a crucial role in the early Church.

  • Many ostiarii served as gatekeepers in ancient cathedrals.

  • In the Middle Ages, an ostiarius was responsible for guarding the church doors during services.

  • The office of ostiarius was discontinued after reforms by the Catholic Church.

  • He studied the four minor orders before being ordained as an ostiarius.

Synonyms

doorkeeper
vsostiarius
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A church officer in older times who guarded the church doors

is the same rank but is a common English naming variant
ostiary
vsostiarius
  • Archaic
9.9

A former church job for people who looked after the church door

is the same rank but named using the classical Latin form

How Senior

bishop
431 3.9
priest
901 1.0
deacon
17 7.2
lector
  • Jargon
1 9.9
ostiarius
  • Archaic
9.9
layperson
10 4.9

Surface Forms

ostiarius singular
ostiarii plural

Etymology

Ostiarius comes from the Latin ostium 'door', and originally meant a 'doorkeeper'. So an ostiarius was the person who guarded or opened the church doors as the lowest church rank, which explains the word's meaning today.