A hierodeacon (Greek: Ἱεροδιάκονος, Ierodiákonos; Slavonic: Ierodiakón), sometimes translated "deacon-monk", in Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a monk who has been ordained a deacon (or deacon who has been tonsured monk).[1] The term literally translates as "sacred servant (of God)", in accordance with early Byzantine usage of the adjective "sacred" to describe things monastic.[citation needed]
To be eligible for ordination to the diaconate, a man must be either married or he must be tonsured a monk.[citation needed]
In the Church hierarchy, a hierodeacon or a secular (i.e. non-monastic) deacon is of lower rank than a hieromonk (a priest-monk) or a secular priest. Within their own ranks, hierodeacons are assigned order of precedence according to the date of their ordination. Ranking above Hierodeacon is an Archdeacon or Protodeacon.[citation needed]
In some countries, married clergy are referred to as "white clergy" while monastic clergy are called "black clergy" because monks should always wear black clothing but married clergy in many parts of the world typically wear white (or gray or colored) cassocks and rasons.[citation needed]
The proper title for a hierodeacon is, "the Reverend Hierodeacon (name)" The proper form of address would be, "Hierodeacon (name)", "Father Hierodeacon (name)", or "Father Hierodeacon".[citation needed]
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edit- ^ Nichols, Robert; Croskey, Robert (1972). "The Condition of the Orthodox Church in Russian America: Innokentii Veniaminov's History of the Russian Church in Alaska". The Pacific Northwest Quarterly. 63 (2): 41–54. ISSN 0030-8803. Retrieved 1 November 2024.