subdeacon
Quick Summary
A subdeacon is a cleric who ranks below a deacon. Historically, in the Roman Catholic Church, this was the lowest of the major orders. In Eastern Orthodox and Armenian churches, a subdeacon is a cleric in minor orders. The office or rank of a subdeacon is known as the subdiaconate. The term "deacon" itself comes from the Greek word for "helper," and deacons have traditionally assisted in charitable and practical functions within Christian communities.123
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