Stretching my brain a little

[msmemory_archive]

I was talking with someone who mentioned that his church has a cantor. I had never heard of a cantor in a Christian church - apparently it's what we called "soloist" at my parents' church.

Comments

[dlevey.livejournal.com]

I've heard it, though mostly in reference to Catholic churches.

[ladypeyton.livejournal.com]

Yep. We had a cantor. He was the guy who got to sing into the microphone whenever we were all supposed to sing a hymn.

[etherial.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it came up in my music history classes in college.

[dagonell.livejournal.com]

In my RC church, the cantor is the lay person who does the first reading from the gospel. The priest does the second.
-- Dagonell, former cantor

[msmemory.livejournal.com]

Is it a paid position, or one which rotates among lay volunteers?

[meirwen.livejournal.com]

Are you sure it's an RC church, Dagonell? Usually there is a reading from the Old Testament (by a lay person/cantor), one from the New Testament (Letters, Acts, etc.), and then the priest (or deacon) does the reading from the Gospel. I've never heard of a lay person doing a Gospel reading in the RC church. *goes to consult*

[cellio]

My father was a cantor in his Roman Catholic church for several years. It meant leading some songs and doing some readings, I think. It was a volunteer lay position, rotated among a few people.