hierodeacon

A hierodeacon (Greek: Ἱεροδιάκονος, Ierodiákonos; Slavonic: Ierodiakón), sometimes translated "deacon-monk", in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and all other Churches that follow Byzantine Rite is a monk who has been ordained a deacon (or deacon who has been tonsured monk). The term literally translates as "sacred servant (of God)", in accordance with early Byzantine usage of the adjective "sacred" to describe things monastic. To be eligible for ordination to the diaconate, a man must be either married or he must be tonsured a monk. In the Church hierarchy, a hierodeacon or a secular (i.e. non-monastic) deacon is of lower rank than a hieromonk (a priest-monk) or a secular priest. Within their own ranks, hierodeacons are assigned order of precedence according to the date of their ordination. ...