The Service of Women in the Church
The Service of Women in the Church
The service of women began from the Old Testament, where we hear about Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, that she was a prophetess, and that she led the people in praise (Exod 15:20).
We also hear about Deborah, who was a judge of the people, and also a prophetess, and they went up to her for judgment (Judg 4:4–5).
We also hear about Huldah the prophetess, who prophesied in the days of the righteous King Josiah (2 Kings 22:14–20; 2 Chron 34:20).
Likewise, Anna the daughter of Phanuel was a prophetess, and she also represented the worshipping widows in the temple (Luke 2:36–38).
We hear of women who followed Christ and served Him from their possessions (Luke 8:3).
Likewise, there were women in the upper room with the apostles (Acts 1:14).
Although the priesthood was for men only, and likewise the administration of the Church, yet the gifts were for all. Just as there were prophetesses in the Old Testament, we also hear in the New Testament about women who prophesied, such as the four virgin daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:11).
The Scripture also records the names of some holy women who offered their homes to become churches, such as the house of Mary the mother of John who was called Mark (Acts 12:12), and such as Priscilla the wife of Aquila (Rom 16:3). Saint Paul mentioned her name before that of her husband, and tradition says that she taught Apollos the Christian doctrines.
We also mention with these Lydia, the seller of purple (Acts 16:14–15).
There are many women who helped the Apostle Paul and whom he mentioned in his epistles, such as “Persis the beloved, who labored much in the Lord,” and such as “Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord” (Rom 16:12).
Before all these, we mention Mary Magdalene, whom the Lord entrusted to convey to His disciples the good news of His resurrection from the dead (Matt 28).
The Church also knew the rite of deaconesses, and Saint Phoebe was the first deaconess (Rom 16:1). The Church also knew the rite of widows and their service, and Saint Paul explained this service in his epistle to his disciple Timothy (1 Tim 5:9–16).
We also hear of the deaconess Olympias, the disciple of Saint John Chrysostom (in the fourth century), and the deaconess Anastasia, to whom Saint Severus of Antioch wrote (in the sixth century).
It is therefore not strange that the Church established a rite for the service of women, whether virgins or widows, and organized the canons for their service.
As for the saying of Saint Paul the Apostle: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man” (1 Tim 2:12), it is clear—according to the explanation of the Fathers—that it was not intended to prevent women from teaching in an absolute sense, but rather to prevent her from teaching a man.
Therefore it was said: “Let your women keep silent in the churches” (1 Cor 14:34), meaning in the gathering of all the believers.
However, women were teaching women in their own sphere; they were teaching the catechumens whom the Church entrusted to them for baptism.
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