Deacon Nikolai wrote:A number of translation programs translate it as deacon, so I have no idea where it comes from. LOL!
What translation programs? I tried Babel Fish and you are right, but it still seems awfully suspect! (I entered a number of Russian terms and got weird results.)
A google search comes up with very few examples and they are either as an adjective or a last name. I could be woefully ignorant here, but I have no idea of why it would mean deacon. My advice to you - if you want to be known as a deacon in the Russian Church, use the title диакон. I have never encountered the other word, not in any books, whether historical or fiction (Such as church-related works by Leskov), not on any church internet sites. Simply put, it would make no sense.
