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In some jurisdictions, a seminarian who has discerned that he does not have a calling to pastoral service can be ordained to the subdiaconate.
Subdeacons are mentioned in canons with age restrictions (of 20 years of age) and prohibitions on marriage after ordinations (like deacons and priests) - e.g., Apostolic canon 26. A variety of methods of 'getting around' the dealing with these canons have been employed, from blessing including:* Blessing acolytes or readers to vest and act as a subdeacon temporarily.* Blessing acolytes or readers to vest and act as a subdeacon permanently (for causing a new distinction between a particular service or permanently'blessed subdeacon' and an 'ordained subdeacon'), or for reserving .* Reserving the formal ordination service to candidates for the diaconate, or for simply * Simply ignoring the canons and permitting subdeacons to marry.
It should be noted that a 'blessed' subdeacon may not touch the altar or assume other perogatives of ordained subdeacons outside services.