by Carrie Frederick Frost | ελληνικά | Русский

March is Women’s History Month, when we particularly witness women’s vital roles in our past, including in the Orthodox Church. These stories deserve our attention and appreciation, but let’s not just look to the past, let’s also look to the future. Let’s make history.
Let’s make history by ordaining women as deaconesses in the Orthodox Church once again.
The conversation around deaconesses in the Orthodox Church over the last half century has been about what and why, and—to some degree—when. It’s time to move to the question of how.
What
The Church ordained women as deaconesses for over half of its history and never abolished the order which faded over time for many reasons. Roles of deaconesses varied based on place and era and included diakonia, service, in the form of ministering to other women, taking the Eucharist to women at home, liturgical service, helping with baptism, catechesis, and philanthropy. Deaconesses are an indisputable and rich part of our history.
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