The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word ACOLYTES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
A
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More clues leading to the result ACOLYTES
- Those who follow a firm and innovative style
- Cosy tale about apostles
- Minions who may, given brain, become nice altar boys
- Cosy tale about ecclesiastical helpers
- Followers of Yeats upset about depression
- Terribly costly to go around Spain, following a group of fans
- A Colorado prog-rock band gains first segment of Twitter followers
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "ecclesiastical helpers" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ecclesiastical helpers = acolytes.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ACOLYTES mean?
ACOLYTES noun- One who has received the highest of the four minor orders in the Catholic Church, being ordained to carry the wine, water and lights at Mass.
- An altar server.
- An attendant, assistant or follower.