they consist of the payment of yearly dues into a fund for maintenance and repair of accessories used in Church ceremonies, and usually also include a certain amount of labour for this purpose. Altar societies differ from tabernacle societies in that they work for the benefit of the church they are attached to while tabernacle societies work for the benefit of many different poor churches. Eastern Churches In the Eastern Churches, the sacristan is known as the ecclesiarch, particularly in monasteries. In large monasteries he may be assigned an assistant known as the paraecclesiarch. An analogous office is that of the skeuophylax. In parishes, however, the sacristan is called sexton. In addition to the tasks and responsibilities mentioned above, if an individual has a message for the priest while serving in the sanctuary, it is given to the sexton to give to the priest or deacon. Academia Many Christian faith schools appoint sacristans as members of their prefect bodies, particularly in public schools and institutions founded on the English model. For instance, The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, an Episcopal University, hosts a student Sacristan's Guild. Sacristans aid the school's chaplain in day-to-day running of the chapel and promotion of a Christian ethos in the school. In terms of seniority, they are often regarded as second only to the school captains. See also Verger References Citations Sources External links Ecclesiastical titles Catholic liturgy