can a lay person sing the epistle at High Mass?

[Jman123]

can a lay person sing the epistle at High Mass?

[The Harlequin King]

can a lay person sing the epistle at High Mass?

If "lay person" would include an instituted lector or acolyte, there's no question that these may chant the Epistle at a sung Mass (I personally tend to reserve the term "high Mass" for "solemn high Mass" with deacon and subdeacon). It's even arguably preferable.

Otherwise, I don't know. One could argue that a lay reader (male, vested) is just filling in as an altar server would take the place of an ordained/instituted acolyte, but the practice is not common in the United States. I've heard it's more common in France, where they also do the Epistle in French.

[Der Polka-König]

can a lay person sing the epistle at High Mass?

If "lay person" would include an instituted lector or acolyte, there's no question that these may chant the Epistle at a sung Mass (I personally tend to reserve the term "high Mass" for "solemn high Mass" with deacon and subdeacon). It's even arguably preferable.

Otherwise, I don't know. One could argue that a lay reader (male, vested) is just filling in as an altar server would take the place of an ordained/instituted acolyte, but the practice is not common in the United States. I've heard it's more common in France, where they also do the Epistle in French.

Exactly. If "layperson" means any random layman, then no. If "layperson" means a seminaarian who has been instituted as a lector/acolyte, then yes, of course he can sing the Epistle. If "layperson" means a man (non-seminarian) who has been instituted as a lector by a bishhop, then yes, he can also sing the Epistle at a Missa Cantata (or as a straw subdeacon at a Solemn Mass). 

The pre-1960 rubrics assumed that if such a man were available, he would sing the Epistle. The 1960 revisions allow for such a case, but it is no longer assumed as the norm.

[Kaesekopf]

I've seen a few trad churches have a layman with a good voice sing the epistle, at both missa cantata and (solemn) high mass. 

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