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The other two offices are those of priest and of bishop. It is also an office in many Protestant denominations. The word deacon ( and deaconess) is derived from the Greek word diakonos (διακονος), which is often translated servant or more specifically waiter. The office of deacon originated in the selection of seven men (among them Saint Stephen) to assist with the pastoral and administrative needs of the early church. ( Acts of the Apostles, chapter 6)

In Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox churches, deacons assist priests in their pastoral and administrative duties, but (in Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy) report directly to the bishop. They have a distinctive role in the liturgy, their main tasks being to read the Gospel and assist in the administration of the Eucharist. In Orthodox churches, the deacon also include censes the icons and people, calls the people to prayer, prays the "litanies" or series of petitions, and has a role in the dialog of the AnaphoraIn Christian liturgy, the anaphora is the part of the Liturgy or Mass having to do specifically with the Eucharist, as compared to scripture readings, etc. In rhetoric, anaphora is the repetition of the same few words at the beginning of several consecuti.

In the Roman Catholic church, the vestmentVestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religions, especially the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Churches. For the Catholic Mass the priest wears special garb or vestments each article of which symbo most particularly associated with the deacon is the DalmaticRather similar to the chasuble, the dalmatic (one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic church) is the outermost vestment worn by a deacon at Mass. Unlike the chasuble, it has two short sleeves. One of the earliest of the vestments it dates fr. In the Orthodox Church, a deacon wears the sticharionThe Sticharion is a liturgical vestment of the Eastern Orthodox Church, roughly analogous to the dalmatic or tunicle of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a long, narrow robe with loose sleeves, fastened at the neck, and often open down the sides but held s, the orarionThe Orarion is the distinguishing vestment of the deacon in the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is a narrow stole, usually four to five inches wide and about ten feet long, made of brocade with seven crosses embroidered or appliqued along its length. The deac, and the epimanikia .

In Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, deacons often work directly in ministry to the marginalized inside and outside the church: the poor, the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned.

In the Anglican church, deacons are permitted to marry, as are priests. In the Catholic and Orthodox churches, a deacon may not marry after being ordained, but a married man may be ordained a deacon. See clerical celibacyA vow of clerical celibacy is the promise of a Christian priest or bishop to remain unmarried, or, in some churches, of a deacon or priest not to remarry if his wife dies. In conjunction with church rules prohibiting sex outside of marriage, this implies.

In the modern Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, ordination to the diaconate has often been regarded as a transitional stage before ordination to the priesthood. However, in recent years greater recognition has been given to the distinctive role of permanent deaconIn the modern Roman Catholic church, the office of deacon had fallen into disuse except as a short-term transitional stage between layman and priest, until the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s decided that it ought to be resuscitated. Since then, marris who do not become priests.

Deacons are also appointed or elected in many Protestant denominations, though this is less commonly seen as a step towards the Ministry. The role of deacon in Protestant denominations varies a great deal from denomination to denomination; often, there will be more emphasis on administrative duties than on pastoral or liturgical duties. In some denominations, deacons duties are only financial management and practical aid and relief.

For the role of Deacon in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS/Mormon), see Priesthood (Mormonism).