subdeacon Eccl.
(ˌsʌbˈdiːkən)
Forms: α. 4 sude(a)kne, 4–5 sodekene, 5 -en, -on, -un, -yn. β. 4–6 subdekin, -yn, -decon, (also 8) -diacon, etc. (see deacon n.1), 5– subdeacon. (See also southdeacon s.v. south-2.)
[a. AF., OF. soudiakene, subdiacne, f. sou(s)-, sub- (see sub- 6) + diacne deacon n.1, after eccl. L. subdiāconus, which was modelled on eccl. Gr. ὑποδιᾱ́κονος.]
1. The name of an order of ministers in the Christian church next below that of deacon.
The duty of subdeacons is to assist in the celebration of the Eucharist by preparing the sacred vessels and (in the Western Church) by reading the epistle. In the East the subdiaconate ranks as one of the minor, in the West as one of the major orders; it does not exist in the Church of England.
| α c 1315 Shoreham i. 1779 Sudeakne mey be ywedded nauȝt. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 39 Þe clerkis of þi jurisdiccoun, þat are wiþ in þe ordre of sodeken, or a boue. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 471 Iames Vercellence, the popis sodekon. 1483 Cath. Angl. 371/1 A Sudekyn, subdiaconus. |
| β 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 1051 Ȝyf þou..art a clerk, & hast þe los Of subdekene, or dekene by name. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 359 Oon Arator, a subdecon of Rome. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. (Rolls) 74 He that schuld be mad a bischop schuld first be a benet,..and than a colet; and than subdiacone, diacone, and prest. 1555 W. Watreman Fardle Facions ii. xii. 281 The Subdeacon mighte take the offring, and handle the Chalice, and the Patine. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iv. iv. 22 b, As for Subdeacons, it is likely that at the beginnyng they were ioyned to the Deacons, that they should vse their seruice about the poore. 1615 Wadsworth in Bedell Lett. 12 The Councels require the ordines minores of Subdeacon and the rest, to goe before Priesthood. 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. i. iii. (1636) 106 The Priests, Deacons, and Subdeacons of the Easterne Church. 1737 Challoner Cath. Chr. Instr. (1753) 154 From the minor Orders they are promoted to the Order of Sub-deacon, which is the first of those that are called Holy. 1859 Newman Serm. Var. Occas. (1881) 254 At the age of twenty-four,..he was ordained sub-deacon. 1877 J. D. Chambers Div. Worship 326 It was always the proper office of the Sub⁓deacon to read the Epistle. |
† b. Applied to an order below the levites, the ‘Nethinim’ of Ezra ii. 70.
Obs.| 1382 Wyclif 1 Esdras ii. 70 The prestus and the Leuitus of the puple..and sodeknys [Vulg. Nathinæi]. 1546 Langley tr. Pol. Verg. de Invent. iv. iii. 72 The ministers, whiche dyd make redye the sacrifice,..at the commaundement of the Leuites, these we may cal subdeacons. |
2. The cleric (
orig. one in subdeacon's orders) or lay clerk who acts as assistant next below the deacon at a solemn celebration of the Eucharist; the ‘epistoler’.
| 1440 Engl. Ch. Furnit. (1866) 181 One whole vestment for Priest Deacon and Subdeacon. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 133/3 A preest a deken & a subdeken all reuested goyng to thaulter as for to saye masse. 1520 Market Harborough Rec. (1890) 215 To the parych clerke beynge subdeken iij{supd}. c 1618 Moryson Itin. iv. (1903) 439 When the Pope..sings Masse himselfe, with one Cardinall seruing him as Deacon, and another as subdeacon. 1701 in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ. VII. 101 And his Dæcon, Subdiacon & Acolythe were his 3 sons, brothers to y⊇ Nonne. 1851 Pugin Chancel Screens 26 The Epistle and Gospel were sung by the deacon and sub-deacon, from marble desks enriched with carvings. 1865 Directorium Anglicanum (ed. 2) 2 note, The Epistoler or Subdeacon, if the ancient Sarum and modern Roman Rule be followed, should wear no stole at all. |
† b. The vestment (
viz. a tunicle) worn by the subdeacon at the Eucharist.
Obs.| 1521 in Strype Stow's Surv. (1754) I. 514/1, I wold that a Subdeacon of whyte Damask, be made. 1553 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1904) 52 A preist & a subdeaken of blew bodkin. 1560 in Trans. Essex Archæol. Soc. (1863) II. 215, j vestement..of red velvet, w{supt}{suph} a decon & subdecon. |
Hence
subˈdeaconate,
† -ˈdeaconhood,
† -ˈdeaconry,
-ˈdeaconship = subdiaconate.
| 1554 T. Martin Marr. Priests O ij (T.), Ye come to be promoted here to the holye order of subdeaconrie. 1587 T. Norton's tr. Calvin's Inst. iv. xix. 494 b marg., The order of Sub-deaconrie and the trifling vse thereof. 1615 Wadsworth in Bedell Lett. 13 Subdeaconship [is giuen] by the deliuerie of the Patena alone, and of the Chalice emptie. 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Sub, 'Tis disputed among the Romanists, whether the Sub-deaconhood be a Sacrament or not. 1853 Rock Ch. Fathers III. ii. 50 The next step took the acolyte to the sub-deaconship. 1878 Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xix. 370 For the sub-deaconate and higher grades a knowledge of the New Testament..was requisite. |