Canon 16 The seven of Acts were not liturgical deacons

Since the book of the Acts relates that seven deacons were appointed by the Apostles, and those of the synod of Neocaesarea, in the canons set forth by them, thus plainly declared that deacons ought to be seven according to the canon, even if the city be very large, and you will be persuaded of this also from the book of the Acts; we, having applied the mind of the Fathers to the apostolic saying, found that their discourse was not about the men who minister to the mysteries, but about the service in the needs of the tables, the book of the Acts reading thus: In those days, when the disciples were multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were overlooked in the daily ministration. Then the twelve, having called the multitude of the disciples to them, said: It is not pleasing that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Look out, therefore, brethren, from among you seven men who are well attested, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this need; but we will persevere in prayer and in the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, whom they set before the Apostles [Acts 6:1-6]. Expounding these things, the teacher of the Church John Chrysostom goes through them thus: It is worth marvelling how the multitude was not divided over the choice of the men, how the Apostles were not rejected by them. But what dignity these men had, and what kind of ordination they received, it is necessary to learn. Was it that of the deacons? And yet this is not so in the churches. But is the administration that of the presbyters? And yet there was not yet any bishop, but the Apostles only. Hence I think it is plain and manifest that the name was neither that of deacons nor that of presbyters. On these grounds, therefore, we too proclaim that the aforesaid seven deacons are not to be taken as those who minister to the mysteries, according to the teaching interpreted above, but that they were those entrusted with the administration of the common need of those then gathered together; who in this too have become for us a pattern of loving-kindness and zeal towards those in need.