Deacon
![Saint Stephen, one of the first seven deacons in the Christian Church, holding a Gospel Book. Painting by Giacomo Cavedone in 1601.](/Images/godic/202501/08/StStephen_GiacomoCavedone2626.jpg")
![Clothing of a deaconess serving in the Armenian Church in Constantinople (19th c.). She wears an orarion and fine silver-wrought veil, and in her hand she holds a flabellum.](/Images/godic/202501/08/Սարկաւագուհի2627.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202501/08/Psalterium_Feriatum_Cod_Don_309_0422627.jpg")
![In Poland, a Catholic deacon chants the Exsultet at the Easter Vigil.](/Images/godic/202501/08/DeaconsingingExsultet20072627.jpg")
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. In many traditions the "diaconate" (or deaconate), the term for a deacon's office, is a clerical office; in others it is for laity.