Tizaz
Statute 24
Overview
This statute describes the bishop’s role in ordaining a deacon, distinguishes the deacon’s ministry from the presbyteral office, addresses authority to ordain, and supplies the ordination prayer.
1Concerning the ordination of deacons.
2If the bishop wishes to ordain a deacon, he shall choose him as we have already said, and the bishop alone shall lay his hand upon the deacon’s head.
3Why do we say that the bishop alone lays his hand upon him? It is a sign that the deacon was not ordained to the priesthood, but only for the service of the bishop, so that he may carry out the command given to him by the bishop.
4He was not ordained to be the teacher of all those who are in the orders, but to consider what ought to be done and inform the bishop. He was not ordained to receive the great Spirit in which the presbyters share, but to attend to what is proper, so that the bishop may trust him and so that he may acquaint the bishop with what is fitting for him to know.
5The bishop alone shall lay his hand upon the deacon. In the case of presbyters, however, the bishop and all the presbyters shall take part with him and lay their hands upon him, for it is one and the same Spirit that descends upon him and upon them.
6The presbyter alone shall not do this, nor do the ordained clergy have authority to ordain. For this reason, neither the reader nor the subdeacon shall be ordained by a presbyter alone. The bishop alone shall ordain and lay his hand upon him.
7The prayer for the ordination of deacons:
8God, who created all things and set them in order by your word, Father of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ, whom you sent to minister according to your will and to reveal your secret counsel to us: grant spirit, grace, and diligence to this servant of yours whom you have chosen to be a deacon in our Church. Grant that he may offer in your holy of holies what is offered to you by your ordained chief priests, to the glory of your name.
9Thus, after serving the degrees of ordination without blame and in purity of life, may he attain the exalted priesthood and your honor, and glorify you through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom be glory, power, might, and praise to you, with him and with the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.