The focus of the research is the question of the origin and the inherent prerogatives, rights, and duties of deacons in the Church. In this context, after introductory remarks, the first part of the paper encompasses the analysis of the diaconal ministry in the early testimonies of the Church, particularly in the letters of Saint Ignatius of Antioch and the early Christian work Didascalia Apostolorum. After that, the further direction of the paper is reflected in pointing to the earliest prayers of deacon ordination, especially in the second early Christian treatise, the Apostolic Tradition of Saint Hippolytus of Rome, in order to highlight the essential aspects of this ministry. Based on these foundations, a comparative theological analysis of the diaconal ministry in the early period and in contemporary Orthodox ecclesiology will be established. All elements of the research lead to further analysis and guidelines for the continued study of a serious ecclesiological issue: do we know who deacons are and what is expected of them.