Deacon

A deacon (from Greek "assistant", "servant") is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Catholic Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, Methodism, and Anglicanism, view the diaconate as an order of ministry. In some denominations, including the Catholic Church and Anglican churches, presbyters (priests) are first ordained as deacons before being ordained to the priesthood. Permanent deacons (or distinctive deacons) are those who do not later transition to another form of ministry, in contrast to those continuing their formation to the priesthood, who are then often called transitional deacons.