sacristanus

Sacristanus is the Latin term used in historical and some modern contexts to denote the official responsible for the sacristy in Christian churches. The form sacristanus appears in Latin ecclesiastical texts and is the Latin counterpart to the English role sacristan. The word derives from sacristia, the sacristy, and the agentive suffix -anus, indicating a person connected with that function.

A sacristanus is typically charged with preparing for liturgical services. Duties commonly include securing and arranging liturgical vessels, vestments, candles, linens, and relics; ensuring the proper arrangement of the altar and church furnishings; opening and closing the church; supervising or coordinating servers, choir members, and other assistants; and maintaining the cleanliness and condition of the sacristy and its contents. The role also encompasses inventory management, preservation of sacred items, and organizing transport of objects for processions or pilgrimages. The exact responsibilities and authority may vary by rite, jurisdiction, and local custom; in some contexts the sacristan acts under the direction of the priest, rector, or verger.

Historically the position is found in medieval and early modern Christian institutions and persists in many churches today, often as a voluntary or part-time post held by a layperson, religious sister or brother, or a member of a clerical order. In some traditions the term is treated as a formal office; in others the function is simply described as duties of the sacristan.