noun
- plural of diaconate; the office, rank, or tenure of a deacon in Christian churches
Usage: ecclesiastical
Examples
- The bishop ordained three new candidates to the diaconates.
- Different denominations have varying requirements for their diaconates.
- The diaconates in the early church served important administrative roles.
- She studied the history of diaconates in medieval Christianity.
- The conference discussed reforms to the diaconates across several parishes.
- Both permanent and transitional diaconates exist in the Catholic Church.