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bishops; church government by three distinct orders of ministers -- bishops, priests, and deacons -- of whom the bishops have an authority superior and of a different kind.

An archdeacon. [Obs.]

A suffix used to form feminine nouns; as, actress, deaconess, songstress.

A priest or deacon who reads the gospel at the altar during the communion service. The Archbishop of York was the celebrant, the epistoler being the dean, and the gospeler the Bishop of Sydney. Pall Mall Gazette.

n or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.

which a bishop makes it known that he has regularly ordained a certain person as priest, deacon, etc. -- Letters patent, overt, or open (Eng. Law), a writing executed and sealed, by which power and authority are granted to a person to do some act, or enjoy some right; as, letters patent under the seal of England. --…

The space or thing defined by limits. The archdeacon hath divided it Into three limits very equally. Shak.

s, to line out a hymn. This custom of reading or lining, or, as it was frequently called "deaconing' the hymn or psalm in the churches, was brought about partly from necessity. N. D. Gould.

anon of the Mass. See Canon. -- High Mass, Mass with incense, music, the assistance of a deacon, subdeacon, etc. -- Low Mass, Mass which is said by the priest through-out, without music. -- Mass bell, the sanctus bell. See Sanctus. -- Mass book, the missal or Roman Catholic service book.

or result; as, he must reconsider the matter; he must have been insane. Likewise must the deacons be grave. 1 Tim. iii. 8. Morover, he [a bishop] must have a good report of them which are without. 1 Tim. iii. 7.

An ecclesiastical judge appointed by a bishop, chapter, archdeacon, etc., with charge of the spiritual jurisdiction. Blackstone.

An ecclesiastical grade or rank, as of deacon, priest, or bishop; the office of the Christian ministry; -- often used in the plural; as, to take orders, or to take holy orders, that is, to enter some grade of the ministry.

The book of forms for making, ordaining, and consecrating bishops, priests, and deacons.

A presbyter; one who belongs to the intermediate order between bishop and deacon. He is authorized to perform all ministerial services except those of ordination and confirmation.

court to answer to the action; -- a generic term for writs of the class called judicial. Deacon's process Etym: [from H. Deacon, who introduced it] (Chem.), a method of obtaining chlorine gas by passing hydrochloric acid gas over heated slag which has been previously saturated with a solution of some metallic salt, as…

A sum of money paid formerly to the bishop or archdeacon, now to the ecclesiastical commissioners, by an incumbent, as a commutation for entertainment at the time of visitation; -- called also proxy. Procuration money (Law), money paid for procuring a loan. Blackstone.

rov. Eng. & Colloq. U.S.] Forby. All the poor old shacks about the town found a friend in Deacon Marble. H. W. Beecher. Common of shack (Eng.Law), the right of persons occupying lands lying together in the same common field to turn out their cattle to range in it after harvest. Cowell.

ilk or stuff, sometimes enriched with embroidery and jewels, worn on the left shoulder of deacons, and across both shoulders of bishops and priests, pendent on each side nearly to the ground. At Mass, it is worn crossed on the breast by priests. It is used in various sacred functions. Groom of the stole, the first lord…

Of or pertaining to a subdeacon, or to the office or rank of a subdeacon.

A tribute in money formerly paid to the bishop or archdeacon, at the time of his Easter visitation, by every parish priest, now made to the ecclesiastical commissioners; a procuration. Synodals are due, of common right, to the bishop only. Gibson.