The '''Deacon''' is the third and lowest degree of the [[major orders]] of [[clergy]] in the [[Orthodox Church]], following the [[bishop]] and the [[presbyter]]. The word ''deacon'' (in Greek διάκονος) means ''server'' and originally it referred to a person who waited on tables.
== Diaconal ministry Ordination===== Deacon's vestments ===The vestments of the deacon ministers to are the [[prieststicharion]] and , the [[bishoporarion]] in the divine services , and assists in the celebration of the [[mysteriesepimanikia]] of the Church. A deacon may not, however, celebrate the mysteries by himself.
With the blessing All degrees of clergy wear the presiding priest or bishop, sticharion. The sticharion is a long-sleeved tunic that reaches all the deacon leads way to the people in the collective prayers and reads from the Holy Scriptures during the divine servicesground. He is also responsible for It reminds the wearer that the decorum [[grace]] of the public worship Holy Spirit covers him as with a garment of salvation and calls the people to attention at appropriate timesjoy. In addition For deacons, the deacon may perform other tasks related to Church life from time to time with the blessing sticharion has wide sleeves and at is made of a heavier fabric than that of the direction of his priest or and bishop, who wear their sticharia under other vestments.
A The second part of a deacon may be blessed by 's vestments is the orarion. The orarion is a narrow band of material that the deacon wears wrapped around his bishop body and parish priest to distribute draped over his left shoulder. It represents the grace of the [[Eucharist]] to Holy Spirit that in ordination anoints the faithful, either from a second [[chalice]] at a regular [[liturgy]] where a priest deacon like oil. It is serving the principal vestment of the deacon and without it he cannot serve. When the deacon leads the people in prayers or invites them to attention he holds one end of his orarion in connection with a his right hand and raises it. The priest's [[typikaepitrachelion]] service that is celebrated when the priest is absent. In neither case, however, does the deacon consecrate and the bishop's [[Holy Giftsomophorion]]. The deacon has no ability or authority to consecrate are specialized types of the Holy Gifts on his ownorarion.
The final parts of a deacon's vestments are the epimanikia. The epimanikia are cuffs that are worn around the wrists, tied by a long cord. These are also worn by the bishop and priest. They serve the practical purpose of keeping the inner garments out of the way during the services. They also remind the wearer that he serves not by his own strength but with the help of God. ==Permanent officeDuties ==In The deacon ministers to the [[priest]] and [[bishop]] in the divine services. This includes: *Assisting in the celebration of the [[mysteries]] of the Orthodox Church*Leading the people in the collective prayers (with the blessing of the presiding priest or bishop)*Reading from the Scriptures during the divine services (with the blessing of the presiding priest or bishop)*Keeping the decorum of the public worship, including calling people to attention at appropriate times*Any tasks of the diaconate is not just a step [[subdeacon]] or [[reader]]*Other tasks related to priesthoodChurch life, many deacons have no intention with the blessing and direction of ever becoming priestshis priest or bishop. They see it as In some jurisdictions, a permanent officedeacon may be blessed by his bishop and parish priest to distribute the [[Eucharist]] to the faithful, as either from a second [[chalice]] at a regular [[liturgy]] where a position for full priest is serving or part time in connection with a [[typika]] service that is celebrated when the priest is absent. ===Allowances===Deacons are permitted to wear a cassock; this is done as a sign of his suppression of his own tastes, will and desires, and his canonical obedience to God, his bishop and the work liturgical and canonical norms of the Church. Deacons are also permitted to wear the exoraso (or ryassa). In jurisdictions that utilise clergy shirts, deacons generally wear a clergy shirt with collar.
Originally deacons of During services, the Church assisted the bishops deacon is usually vested in good deeds and works of charity. But at some time in recent centuries the diaconate has become a sticharion with an almost exclusive liturgical function where orarion that hangs over the deacons only assist at left shoulder; with the celebration exception of around the Church services. But todayconsecration of Communion, deacons the deacon will often head educational programs and youth groups, perform hospital visitation, missionary work, and conduct social welfare projectsarrange his sticharion like a subdeacon.
== Rankings In addition, to complete his duties, the deacon is permitted to touch the Table of deacons ==SacramentallyOblation, all deacons are equal. Howeverthe Altar, they are ranked and serve by seniority according to move through the date of their ordinationRoyal Doors.
Just as with bishops and presbyters, there are distinctions ===Restrictions===The place of administrative rank among deacons. A senior a deacon of a cathedral or principal church may be awarded is to serve the title '''''protodeacon''''' community and claim precedence when serving with other deaconsto lead prayers. The chief deacon who is attached to He must have the person blessing of a the presiding priest or bishop is called an '''''archdeacon'''''to put on his vestments and serve. A deacon who is also a monastic is called a '''''hierodeacon'''''may not celebrate the sacraments by himself; he may not give blessings; he may not consecrate the [[Holy Gifts]].
== Etiquette Contemporary Practice==For formal occasions (for example===Permanent office===In the Orthodox Church, in the heading diaconate is not just a step to priesthood, many deacons have no intention of ever becoming priests. They see it as a letter or when introducing permanent office, as a speaker), one would politely address position for full or refer part time service to a deacon as "The Rev. Deacon [John Smith]." ''Deacon'' is often [[Abbreviations|abbreviated]] ''Dcn.'' or ''Dn.'' (though the second is used as an abbreviation for [[dean]])work of the Church.
In informal settings, for example, Originally deacons of the Church assisted the bishops in normal conversation, it is appropriate to simply refer to a deacon as "Deacon [John]good deeds and works of charity." Note that But at some time in some traditions, however, it is common to refer to recent centuries the diaconate became an almost exclusive liturgical function where the deacons as "Father"—for instance, "Father Deacon [John]" or "Father [John]only assist at the celebration of the Church services."
Deacons cannot bless, so it is inappropriate to ask What a deacon for his blessing; blessings are given only by bishops and priests. In does may depend on jurisdiction - some traditions, however, such as in Greece, consider the deacon's hand (as well diaconate as a short interval before the hand of an abbess of a monastery priesthood; but, where permanency orlongevity in the diaconate is prized, deacons will often head educational programs and youth groups, perform hospital visitation, occasionallymissionary work, an unordained monastic) is sometimes kissed as a sign of respect for the Holy Spirit which operates through that person's office. Neither kissing a deacon's hand nor not kissing it is strictly "right" or "wrongand conduct social welfare projects."
== Deacon's vestments = Rankings of deacons ===The vestments of the deacon Sacramentally, all deacons are the [[sticharion]], the [[orarion]]equal. However, they are ranked and serve by seniority according to the [[epimanikia]]date of their ordination.
All three degrees Just as with bishops and presbyters, there are distinctions of major clergy wear administrative rank among deacons. A senior deacon of a cathedral or principal church may be awarded the stichariontitle ''protodeacon'' and claim precedence when serving with other deacons. The sticharion chief deacon who is a long-sleeved tunic that reaches all the way attached to the ground. It reminds the wearer that the [[grace]] person of the Holy Spirit covers him as with a garment of salvation and joybishop is called an ''archdeacon''. For deacons, the sticharion has wide sleeves and A deacon who is also a monastic is made of called a heavier fabric than that of the priest and bishop, who wear their sticharia under other vestments''hierodeacon''.
The second part === Etiquette ===For formal occasions (for example, in the heading of a letter or when introducing a speaker), one would politely address or refer to a deacon's vestments is the orarion. as "The orarion is a narrow band of material that the deacon wears wrapped around his body and draped over his left shoulderRev. It represents the grace of the Holy Spirit that in ordination anoints the deacon like oilDeacon [John Smith]. " It ''Deacon'' is the principal vestment of the deacon and without it he cannot serveoften [[Abbreviations|abbreviated]] ''Dcn. When the deacon leads the people in prayers '' or invites them to attention he holds one end of his orarion in his right hand and raises it''Dn. The priest's [[epitrachelion]] and ' (though the bishop's second is used as an abbreviation for [[omophoriondean]] are specialized types of the orarion).
The final parts of In informal settings, for example, in normal conversation, it is appropriate to simply refer to a deacon's vestments are the epimanikia. The epimanikia are cuffs that are worn around the wristsas "Deacon [John]", "Father [John]", or "Father Deacon [John]", tied by a long cord. These are also worn by the bishop and priest. They serve the practical purpose of keeping the inner garments out of the way during the services. They also remind the wearer that he serves not by his own strength but with depending on the help of Godtradition.
Before Deacons cannot bless, so it is inappropriate to ask a deacon for his blessing; blessings are given only by bishops and priests. In some traditions, however, such as in Greece, the deacon can don any 's hand (as well as the hand of his vestmentsan abbess of a monastery or, occasionally, he must first receive the blessing an unordained monastic) is sometimes kissed as a sign of respect for the bishop Holy Spirit which operates through that person's office. Neither kissing a deacon's hand nor not kissing it is strictly "right" or priest with whom he is serving"wrong."
==See also==
