Święcenia diakonów

Abstract

The second typical edition of the Roman Pontifical published on 29 June, 1989 by the Congregation of Divine Cult (the Polish language version appeared in 1999) ranks consecration of deacons as the third, after consecration of the bishop and presbyters. A man who is consecrated as deacon receives an imperishable badge-character and special grace. Deacons are appointed for providing service, in obedience to the bishop. This service is performed in the Church community and is concerned with liturgy, word and love. In the history of the Church the functions of deacons underwent numerous changes, being more and more limited to liturgie acts. The liturgy of consecration in its basic outline is similar to the liturgy of consecration of the bishop and presbyters and it consists of the following stages: presentation of the candidates and choosing them by the bishop after reading the Gospel; after the homily: the candidates’ oaths, putting their hands in the bishop’s ones, invitation to pray, litany, the consecration prayer, putting on the stole and dalmatic, handing the Gospel, the kiss of peace. The most important changes in comparison with the former liturgy of consecration can be seen in the consecration prayer that defines God as the grace giver instead of the former formulation ‘giver of honours’; it also puts a greater emphasis on calling the deacons to service. Restoration of diaconate as a permanent stage in the Church hierarchy again broadens the range of deacons’ service in the Church community and may contribute to its development.