The Consecration of 27 Deaconesses
The Consecration of 27 Deaconesses
Nearly four years ago, on the Feast of Pentecost corresponding to 14/6/1981 (7 Paoni 1697 A.M.), His Holiness Pope Shenouda III restored the rite of deaconesses after it had ceased in the Church for a period exceeding ten centuries…
This was done through the consecration of 27 deaconesses for the churches of Cairo. He selected them so that each one would be no younger than forty or fifty years old, from among celibates or widows.
And it was a historic day in the Church.
In the speech he delivered that day, the Pope mentioned the names of some famous deaconesses in history…
Foremost among them was the deaconess Phoebe, whom Saint Paul the Apostle mentioned in chapter 16 of his Epistle to the Romans as “a servant of the church in Cenchrea” (Rom. 16:1), and Saint Paul used to send her with letters from him to the churches.
Among the famous deaconesses also was the deaconess Olympias, who was like a special secretary to Saint John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, in the fourth century. He used to send her with letters to the fathers the bishops. Olympias was a tremendous force in that era and possessed very extensive responsibilities.
And among the well-known deaconesses was the deaconess Anastasia, whose name appeared in the collections of letters of Saint Severus, Patriarch of Antioch, who used to send her letters answering some religious questions she had presented to him. And she lived in the sixth century A.D.
And Anastasia was not the last deaconess we know of, but rather this rite continued for periods after her. And the Holy Synod will soon, God willing, establish regulations and a rite for consecrated women… And through these regulations, the service of girls in the Church will be organized. For it is not possible to limit the service only to elderly women as happened on Pentecost in the year 1981. And since the monasticism of girls in our Church is limited to worship, then the rite of consecrated women or deaconesses will become the ecclesiastical field for every girl who loves the service of the Church.
And by this, the Church can benefit from the service of girls who love ministry.
And there are very wide fields for their service.
And by this also, we can establish a distinction between monasticism in its solitude and worship, and the diaconate in its service, without confusing monasticism with service, as the Church was sometimes compelled to do in the monasticism of men…
And the service of women in the Church includes many fields, among which are:
Social service, caring for the poor and needy, and the service of Church education through teaching children and meetings for young women and ladies. The ministry of spiritual visitation, as well as visiting sick women in homes or hospitals. Visiting families in times of mourning. Alongside organizing women receiving Communion, and organizing women in general in the Church. And assisting the priest in the baptism of elderly women.
The Rite of Consecrating Deaconesses
His Holiness the Pope devoted a period of time to reading books concerning the diaconal service of women and its rite, from all available references.
And finally, he established a rite for them which we shall publish for history, so that it may not be lost or forgotten. And it may be used on future occasions.
He also selected garments suitable for this ministry, in terms of their color and design. And the deaconesses wore these garments after the Pope signed them for them. And he himself placed the head covering upon the head of each one of them.
And they processed throughout the church amid hymns of joy for this consecration. And before beginning their ministry, they spent three days in retreat at the monastery…
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