Deacon is one of the classes or ranks of Christian clergy. The term also refers to members of the laity assigned to help ministers and priests in such tasks as preaching and helping the sick and needy. The word deacon comes from diakonos, a Greek word that means servant. The office of deacon is called the diaconate.
In the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic churches, the diaconate is mainly a stage of a year or less that precedes priesthood. These churches now also have deacons ordained to the diaconate as a lifetime vocation. These deacons assist in church work, especially if there is a shortage of priests. In many Protestant churches, deacons are lay members who help meet various needs of their congregation. The Anglican church and many Protestant churches have women members of the diaconate called deaconesses.
