Subdiaconate

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. The rank or holy order of a subdeacon, the minor clerical office that assists a deacon in church services
2. The ecclesiastical office held by a subdeacon, a minor order of clergy who assist at the altar and in worship
3. The clerical order of those who serve as subdeacons, ranking below deacons and assisting in the liturgy

Etymology: "Subdiaconate" names the clerical rank held by a subdeacon, the order of the church just below a deacon. It is formed from the prefix "sub-", meaning "under" or "below" in Latin, attached to "diaconate", the rank of a deacon. So the word simply means the office beneath the diaconate, and its structure is transparent: the ranking system of the clergy is built directly into the word. The root "diaconate" comes from "diaconus", the Latin form of the Greek "diakonos", meaning "servant" or "attendant". In the early Church, deacons assisted bishops and priests with practical and liturgical duties, so the title describes a role of service. The subdiaconate, by extension, marked an order of ministry below that service, with its own duties at the altar and in the liturgy.

Synonyms: subdeaconship