Deacon

Quick meaning: Deacon is a noun meaning (early Christianity) A designated minister of charity in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6).

Meaning

(early Christianity) A designated minister of charity in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6).

More Meanings

1. (Evangelicalism) A lay leader of a congregation who assists the pastor.
2. (Methodism) A separate office from that of minister, neither leading to the other; instead there is a permanent deaconate.
3. (Freemasonry) A junior lodge officer.
4. (Mormonism) The lowest office in the Aaronic priesthood, generally held by 12 or 13 year old boys or recent converts.
5. (Christianity, by extension) A modern-day member of a church who handles secular and/or administrative duties in a priest's stead, the specifics of which depends on denomination.
6. (Catholicism, Lutheranism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Church of the East) A clergyman ranked directly below a priest, with duties of helping the priests and carrying out parish work.
7. (Anglicanism) An ordained clergyperson usually serving a year prior to being ordained presbyter, though in some cases they remain a permanent deacon.

Example Sentences

Chapman was a lay missionary and was not deaconed until 1844 and priested in 1852.

Thus, Samuel Seabury... was deaconed by the Bishop of Lincoln and priested by the Bishop of Carlisle.

He was deaconed on the 23rd May, and priested on the 29th September, 1624, by John, Bishop of Sodar and Man.

The blanc mange was lumpy, and the strawberries not as ripe as they looked, having been skilfully 'deaconed'.

Word Forms

• deacons
• deaconing
• deaconed

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include priest, pope, chancellor, practising, leader, left.

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