Definition and Citations:
In ecclesiastical law. The orders of bishops, (including archbishops.)priests, and deacons in the Church of England. The Roman canonists had the orders ofbishop, (in which the pope and archbishops were included.) priest, deacon, subdeacon,psalmist, acolyte, exorcist, reader, ostiarius. 3 Steph. Comm. 55, and note a.