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Dec 29th, 2019
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Joined: Jun 2008
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What is the standard practice of the Orthodox church regarding the required age of its deacons?
p.s I have still been lurking around the boards I wish you all a fruitful lenten season.
David.
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Hi Dewi,
Good to see you and know that you're well.
Many years,
Neil
"One day all our ethnic traits ... will have disappeared. Time itself is seeing to this. And so we can not think of our communities as ethnic parishes, ... unless we wish to assure the death of our community."
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Joined: Nov 2003
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The CANONICAL age is 25,in practice it may be younger.Some monks have been made deacons as young as 18.My own bishop,Longin of the Midwestern Serbian diocese,was ordained priest the same year he turned 20(1975),not sure when he was made a deacon,maybe earlier the same year.He was made bishop at 30.
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Joined: Jun 2008
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That seems very young indeed! I wonder if there are many instances of young clergy not being taken seriously by older members of the congregation.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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Speaking for myself and myself alone,I was way too young to be made a priest at age 24.I would welcome a return to the canonical minimum of 30 for a priest.
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Joined: May 2009
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As a son, brother and nephew of Orthodox priests, I can assure you that age is no barrier to not being taken seriously by some older members of any congregation. Actually, we too had a young Bishop in the mid 1960's who was just over the canonical minimum age of 30 when he was made Bishop. We require a Bachelor's degree and three years minimum of Seminary these days for ordination to the priesthood, hence candidates for the priesthood are at least 25 or 26. Our diaconate program is three years and I am unaware of any ACROD deacons younger than middle age.
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Joined: Jun 2008
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I was taken aback by Bishop Maxim of western america's age when I first met him but I don't think I have ever met a deacon who at least looked under 45. perhaps there aren't many young permanent deacons because men are getting married later in life these days?
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