Year of the Woman
Year of the Woman
If this year has been chosen to honor women, then Christianity contributes greatly to their honor and dignity.
Woman is not inferior to man in any way. The Holy Scripture says: “Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:11). And also: “For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God” (1 Corinthians 11:12).
From the Old Testament onward, the Bible places great importance on women. Some books of Scripture even bear women’s names, such as the Book of Ruth, the Book of Esther, and the Book of Judith.
Among women were prophetesses, such as Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Anna the Prophetess (Luke 2:36), Deborah, who was also a judge of the people (Judges 4:4), and Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15:20).
In the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, women followed Him and ministered to Him from their own possessions (Luke 8:3).
At the Cross, the number of women was greater than that of the men: Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the wife of Clopas (John 19:25). At the Resurrection, the women went early to the tomb. Scripture says that He “appeared first to Mary Magdalene” (Mark 16:9).
It is enough honor for women that they were the ones who announced the Resurrection to the apostles. Indeed, the women were more steadfast in believing in the Resurrection than the twelve apostles (Luke 24:11).
The Lord Christ praised the faith of the Canaanite woman and declared that wherever the Gospel is preached, her faith would be proclaimed. He also commended the widow who offered the two mites out of her poverty, saying that she had given more than all.
Perhaps the greatest glory of women is that from among them came Virgin Mary, whom all generations call blessed. In our hymns we say: “You have been exalted, O Mary, above the Cherubim, and you have surpassed, O Mary, the Seraphim.” We mention her in our intercessions before the pure archangels and call her “the Second Heaven.”
Women also offered their homes to become churches in the earliest days of Christianity. The first church in the world was the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12)—the house of the mother of Mark the Evangelist.
Women served as deaconesses in the early Church. Among them was Phoebe, a deaconess of the Church of Cenchreae who assisted the Apostle Paul (Romans 16:1). Church canons mention the existence of deaconesses, sub-deaconesses, and readers. Within the Church’s order there were also consecrated virgins and widows who devoted themselves to service.
In monasticism, we find holy women who guided even men. Saint Melania was a spiritual mother and guide to Mar Evagrius during an important period of his life. Saint Sarah of the Desert was visited by monks of Scetis who sought her counsel. And Saint Mary of Egypt granted her blessing to Saint Zosimas the Priest.
