Development in the Renaissance of Women
1- The work of women in the Old and New Testaments, and their participation in the service of the Church, is a lengthy subject that is not the scope of this article. But here we would like to speak about the modern era.
2- The renaissance of women in the Coptic Church began during the days of His Holiness Pope Cyril IV, known as the Father of Reform.
He was the first to establish a school for girls. Thus, women began to receive education. Their education had very many results, perhaps the first of which was the entry of women into the life of society and into interaction with others, the broadening of women’s minds as their knowledge expanded, and the use of these minds in various fields.
3- Women moved from the stage of learning to the stage of teaching.
In our Church, we found thousands of women involved in the sphere of Christian education service, young women’s meetings, university families, and all other branches of service.
4- Women undertook social service and all its branches in churches in general:
The service of the brethren of the Lord, charity committees, and care for fallen girls.
In many churches, women began managing workshops and productive-family activities.
They also became responsible for celebrations in their churches with great skill.
5- Alongside the workshops, women worked in the service of nurseries.
In churches, associations, and institutions established for this purpose. Many virtuous women were able to devote all their time to this service.
6- Likewise, they were able to work in homes for elderly women and for female students living away from their families.
They supervised and managed these homes, maintained order in them, and cared for and regulated the spiritual atmosphere.
7- From this emerged the service of consecrated women as a rite established by the Church.
Many girls began to leave behind the idea of employment and work, and also refrained from married life. They preferred to consecrate themselves to service. Thus, many dioceses became unable to dispense with the service of consecrated women among them. The Holy Synod established special regulations for the consecrated women, their establishment, and their service.
8- The service of deaconesses was also established in the Church.
Twenty-seven deaconesses were appointed for this service in June 1981, with a special uniform and special service. The Holy Synod established a system for promoting consecrated women through the ranks of the diaconate and its service (apart from altar service and priestly work).
9- The field advanced for women, and they enrolled in the Theological College and its institutes.
They became qualified in theological studies. Women’s thinking was able to expand to accommodate these studies and excel in them. Moreover, the status of women rose to the level of teaching at the Theological College and at the Institute of Coptic Studies, in subjects including the Bible, theology, and Church history. Some of them went further by preparing academic theses, for which they received excellent academic degrees.
10- Women worked in the field of translation:
Among them were those who translated the sayings of the Fathers, religious books in Egypt and the diaspora, as well as spiritual articles, in addition to writing.
11- Women had a distinguished role in the field of art:
Especially in iconography, whether in churches or in private paintings, or by decorating religious books with beautiful pictures. Some consecrated women and some nuns carried out this work, taking responsibility for entire iconographic projects in churches in the diaspora, or working in some sister Orthodox churches.
12- Women also worked in the ecumenical movement.
Many of them held positions in various church organizations and in international church conferences, and they succeeded in this.
13- Church education service also gave rise to membership in musical groups.
Girls joined choir groups, in music and chanting. They also learned many church hymns and mastered them, and this had a spiritual effect on their lives and in their homes.
14- The Church allowed women to be members of the Church Council. (That is, committees of the churches responsible for their administrative and financial affairs.) There are many churches in Egypt and the diaspora in whose councils there is one or more women who participate with men in the responsibility for the administrative and financial work of the Church.
15- Women also worked in the General Bishoprics.
A large number of them serve in the Bishopric of General Services, and some also work in the Bishopric of Youth, in addition to those who work in the Bishopric of Religious Institutes.
Since one of the activities of the Bishopric of Youth is scouting and rovering, many girls joined this activity and work in organizing meetings.
16- Women’s activity in our Coptic Church reached membership in the General Lay Council.
Women entered as voters, candidates, and members. In some lay councils, there was more than one woman among the members of the council.
17- We should also not forget women’s work in Coptic associations:
Especially women’s associations, whose members are all women. They carry out social work in service to the Church and the homeland.
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