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

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

doorkeeper

vsostiarius

Archaic

9.9

A church officer in older times who guarded the church doors

is the same rank but is a common English naming variant

How Senior

bishop

210 3.9

priest

∞ 1.0

deacon

9 7.2

lector

Jargon

1 9.9

ostiarius

Archaic

9.9

layperson

14 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.