CROCIFERO. — According to an ancient Christian usage, the cross, as the standard of Christ, precedes all sacred processions of the faithful, and the office of carrying it is specially entrusted to the subdeacon, who wears the surplice or the tunicle (S. Congr. Riti, n. 9 ad 18), or also the folded chasuble, according to the nature of the function being celebrated. In rites for the dead, the subdeacon of the Mass serves as c.; on the days of the Purification, Palm Sunday, and Holy Thursday and Good Friday, the c. is another person, different from the subdeacon of the Mass (S. Congr. Riti, n. 2646 ad 1).
BBL: A. Moretti, Ceremoniale iuxta Ritum Romanum, Torino 1938–39 (v. indice). Filippo Oppenheim