A Funeral Procession for a Deacon Who Has Departed

Faith Q&A › Many Years with People's Questions › Part IV

The question

Is it right that a deacon who has departed is taken round the church in a procession, after his body has been prayed over, because when he was confirmed as a deacon, he had the bishop's hand laid upon him?

The answer

It is well known that the priests are taken in procession (after they depart), around the altar which they have served, and to which they have dedicated their lives. But as far as a deacon is concerned, if he is a wholly consecrated deacon who has dedicated himself to the ministry, who has no other job apart from being a full deacon and who has been blessed by the bishop laying his hand upon him and who is entitled to wear clerical dress, then it is quite all right for his body to be taken in procession around the church, in view of the fact that he has devoted himself to its ministry.

But the lower ranks of deacon, from Chanter to Sub-deacon who have not received the hand of ordination upon them are not entitled to this procession, because they have not devoted themselves entirely to serving the altar.

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Thrice-Blessed Pope Shenouda III of Blessed Memory

Thrice-Blessed Pope Shenouda III of Blessed Memory, Many Years with People's Questions, Part IV: Dogma and Ritual Questions. Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate. Translated by Mrs. Glynis Younan, London. Revised by Mrs. Wedad Abbas. First edition, August 1992. Revised COEPA 1997. ISBN 977-5319-0-2-1.