В Апостольских Постановлениях дается такое предписание епископу о посвящении иподиакона: «Поставляя иподиакона, возложи на него руку и произнеси: «Господи Боже, Творец Неба и земли и всего сущего, избравший для скинии свидения хранителей святых Твоих сосудов, Сам и ныне призри на раба Твоего, рукополагаемого во иподиакона, и даруй ему Духа Святаго для достойного хранения служебных Твоих сосудов и всегдашнего исполнения воли Твоей во Христе Твоем».

В соответствии с древними правилами и обычаями поставление в иподиакона, как и поставление на должность чтеца и певца, совершается «молитвою, благословением, рукоположением» святителя и облачением в сообразную чину священную одежду.

2. Схема чина посвящения в иподиакона

Благословение ораря

Крестообразное опоясывание орарем посвящаемого

Архиеройское благословение

Возложение руки на главу посвящаемого

Чтение молитвы

Первое омовение рук архиерея

Второе омовение рук архиерея

Архиерейское благословение

3. Идейный смысл священнодействий поставления в иподиакона

The office of a subdeacon - assistant to a deacon - is the highest degree of church service. The rite of consecration to the rank of subdeacon, as well as the rite of consecration to the rank of reader and singer, is performed not in the altar, but, as it is said in the rite, "in the midst of the church." This, according to the explanation of St. Simeon of Thessalonica, means that the consecrated is assigned "not to participate in the prayers of the holy altar, but to serve outside of it and to other affairs according to the needs of the Church."

St. John Chrysostom likens the orarion with which the protégé is girded to angelic wings, and the cross-shaped girdling of the orarion signifies the readiness of the consecrated person to serve in prayer and the Sacraments, which distinguishes the subdeacon from the services of other clergymen who do not have an orarion. The blessing of the head with the sign of the cross means, according to the interpretation of Symeon of Thessalonica, that Christ Himself, who suffered on the Cross, "raises the initiate to perfection and to Him he is consecrated."

The washing vessel and towel serve as a visible expression of the consecrated's care and love for the "splendor of the house" of God, and participation in the rite of washing the hands of the bishop marks the beginning of the subdeacon's ministry.

After the exclamation of the Liturgy, "And let there be mercies," the newly-ordained is taken by the subdeacons to the altar, and, having received a blessing from the bishop, "will become a subdeacon" (Official).

The subdeacon communes of the Holy Mysteries immediately after the deacons, which emphasizes that the office of subdeacon is a preparatory step for the deaconate priesthood.

Ordination to the deacon

1. The history of the establishment of the rite