In the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches
an ordained minister who ranks immediately
below a priest. In the Protestant churches a
deacon is in training to become a minister or
is a lay assistant. The lay order of women
deaconesses was revived 1962 (legally
recognized 1968); in England they may not
administer the sacraments, but may conduct
public worship and preach. In 1985 the
General Synod voted to allow ordination of
women as deacons, enabling them to perform
marriages and baptisms, but not to take
communion or give absolution and the
blessing. Male priests become deacons after a
year but women do not.