the assembly in the celebration of the Eucharist.  But, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts

6: 1-6), there came a time when the ministry of charity on the part of the apostles was delegated to

seven men, who became the first deacons. One of the first seven deacons, St. Stephen, became

the first Christian martyr.

     Eventually it became physically impossible for the bishops to preside at every Eurcharistic

celebrations, so they delegated presbyters (priests) to preside in their stead, sharing in the bishop’s

munus as High Priest. It was also at this time that that the initiation of Christians was separated into

the two sacraments of baptism and confirmation, because while the priest or deacon could

administer the baptism, the bishop reserved the annointing of confirmation to himself as a sign of unity.

     Later, in the stational liturgies of Rome, unity with the bishop was considered so important that deacons would

bring portions of the Body of Christ, consecrated by the bishop, to the outlying churches to be dropped into the

chalices of the various Eucharistic liturgies; a practice that remains today where the priest drops a portion of the

host into the chalice.

     Deacons became very important in the early Church because of their relationship to the bishop. As one ancient

description says, they were “the eyes and ears of the bishop” in the community, informing the bishop of who whas

in need and the special concerns of the people. The ancient form of basiclica churches reflected this relationship

with the bishop’s chair in the apse, flanked by his deacons and surrounded by semi-circular tiers of benches for the

presbyters.