Deacon - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition deacon

Definition :

Deacon [fr. diacre, Fr.; diacono, It., Span., and Port.; diaconus, Lat.; Gk.] (1) A minister or servant of the church, whose office is to assist the priest in divine service, and the distribution of the sacrament, etc. He may now perform any of the divine offices which a priest may, except only pronouncing the absolution and consecrating the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. By the Clergy Ordination Act, 1804 (44 Geo. 3, c. 43), it is provided (conformably to Canon 34 of the Canons of 1603) that none shall be ordained deacon under twenty-three years, nor priest under twenty-four years of age; though as to deacons the Archbishop of Canterbury has the Privilege of admitting them (by faculty or dispensation) at an earlier age. See, further, under the title CLERGY; and see Phill. Eccl. Law.

(2) A lay office among dissenters.