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An archdeacon is a senior position in some Christian churches, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. An archdeacon is responsible for administration of an archdeaconry, which is the principal subdivision of the diocese.
In the Eastern Christian Churches (Orthodox Churches and Catholic Byzantine Rite), an archdeacon is an ordained deacon who holds a senior position of responsibility and honor on the staff of a bishop—an archdeacon is part of the "monastic" (that is, celibate) clergy, as distinguished from a similar position of seniority and honor, the protodeacon (for married clergy).
In the Anglican Communion, an archdeacon is styled "The Venerable" instead of the usual clerical style "The Reverend". The position of Archdeacon can be held by a priest or a deacon; in parts of the Anglican Communion where women cannot be ordained priests and/or bishops, the position of Archdeacon is effectively the most senior office a clergywoman can be promoted to.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the post of archdeacon was once one of great importance as a senior official of a diocese. It has fallen into disuse, and its duties are now part of the work of such officials as the vicar general and episcopal vicar, the vicar forane and deans.
History
In 11th-century England, a bishopric was meant to be about 3,000 square miles (8,000 km²). In theory, this meant that every part was reachable within a single day's ride. In practice, some bishoprics were much larger, taking up to five days in some cases to go end to end. Additionally, some had topographical considerations that greatly limited travel within them (meaning that much shorter distances could be covered in a single day than in other areas). The response to the demands of such distances and terrain, and the increasing demands of church business, was territorial subdivision. The primary unit of subdivision of a bishopric was the archdeaconry. An ecclesiastical council held at Windsor in 1070 ordered "that bishops should appoint archdeacons in their churches".
The archdeacon acted as the bishop's representative with the duty of supervising parish churches, for example ensuring they had proper training in how to lead Mass and use the proper equipment.
Christian group structuring | Ecclesiastical titles | Anglican ecclesiastical offices
"Archdeacon"