deacon

/ˈdikən/

/ˈdikən/

Other forms: deacons

In many Christian faiths, a deacon is an assistant to the minister or priest. If you're a deacon in the Catholic church, you can perform marriage ceremonies and baptize babies.

In some churches, deacons are ordained like ministers and have the religious authority to perform many of the same actions, from preaching to communion. Other faiths elect deacons from among the laypeople (in other words, these deacons aren't members of the clergy). Some religions don't allow women to be deacons, but in others everyone is eligible for this position. The Greek root of deacon is diakonos, "servant of the church."

Definitions of deacon

1. noun

   a cleric ranking just below a priest in Christian churches; one of the Holy Orders
   type of:

   clergyman, man of the cloth, reverend

   a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of a Christian church

   Holy Order, Order

   (usually plural) the status or rank or office of a Christian clergyman in an ecclesiastical hierarchy
2. noun

   a Protestant layman who assists the minister
   synonyms: Protestant deacon

   types:

   deaconess

   a woman deacon

   type of:

   church officer

   a church official