What is a Deacon?

Deacons are members of one of three distinct orders of ordained ministry (with bishops and presbyters). In the Episcopal Church a deacon exercises "a special ministry of servanthood" directly under the deacon's bishop, serving all people and especially those in need (BCP, p. 543). This definition reflects the practice of the early church, in which deacons were ordained "not to the priesthood but to the servanthood [diakonia, "ministry"] of the bishop" (Hippolytus, Apostolic Tradition). In the ancient Greek-speaking world the term diakonos meant an intermediary who acted or spoke for a superior. Christian deacons were agents of the bishop, often with oversight of charity. Since ancient times the liturgical functions of deacons have suggested the activity of angels. As they proclaim the gospel, lead intercessions, wait at the eucharistic table, and direct the order of the assembly, deacons act as sacred messengers, agents, and attendants. The revival of the order of deacons in the ...  more

A deacon is a official in the Christian church. The exact definition of a deacon varies, depending on which branch of Christianity is under discussion. In some cases, a deacon is a member of the clergy, who has undergone religious training and been ordained. In other instances, a deacon is a member of the lay public who wishes to assist his or her church. The job descriptions and role of a deacon vary widely, although the diaconate is generally viewed as a group which assists the church and serves the community. The word is derived from the Greek diakonos, which means “servant” or “minister.” Deacons have been an important part of Christian tradition since early times. They traveled among the laity to spread the word of the Church, and assisted the Apostles and later priests and other representatives of the Church. In many cases, early deacons took over the duties of distributing alms to the poor, traveling to homes and offering words of comfort, and other tasks which involved ...  more

photo-Deacon Dennis Jebber assisting Fr. Samra in celebrating the Divine Liturgy A reader of the New Testament would not hesitate to answer that, referring to Acts 6:1-4, which first mentions the deacons role: In those days, as the number of disciples grew, the ones who spoke Greek complained that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food, as compared with the widows of those who spoke Hebrew. The Twelve assembled the community of the disciples and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Look around among your own number, brothers, for seven men acknowledged to be deeply spiritual and prudent, and we shall appoint them to this task. This will permit us to concentrate on prayer and the ministry of the word." This proposal was unanimously accepted by the community. A deacon, then, is a servant. That's what the word means in Greek and that's what deacons are for: to serve. He relieves the higher clergy (bishop and ...  more

The English word "deacon" comes from the Greek word diakonia, which means "servant, ambassador, messenger, go-between." In the Catholic Church, a deacon is the third degree of ordained ministry (along with that of bishop and priest) in the service of the Church.