Women Deacons 300 - 400

Thousands of women deacons ministered in parishes, especially in the eastern mediterranean areas of Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor and Greece.

Historical research proves abundantly that they received a full sacramental ordination.

The oldest ordination rite for women deacons known to us comes from the Apostolic Constitutions (AD 380). It tells us that while the bishop imposes his hands on the candidate for ordination, he says:

“O Eternal God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of man and of woman, who didst replenish with the Spirit Miriam and Deborah and Anna and Huldah; who didst not disdain that Thy only begotten Son should be born of a woman; who also in the tabernacle of the testimony, and in the temple, didst ordain women to be keepers of Thy holy gates, do Thou now also look down upon this Thy servant, who is to be ordained to the office of a deaconess, and grant her Thy Holy Spirit, and cleanse her from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that she may worthily discharge the work which is committed to her to Thy glory, and the praise of Thy Christ, with whom glory and adoration be to Thee and the Holy Spirit for ever. Amen.”

Fathers of the Church 300 - 400

Their writings exhibit the standard cultural prejudices of their time. These included prejudices against women. The Latin speaking Fathers attribute to women the low status accorded to them by law in the Roman Empire.

Local Church Synods and Councils

When women are mentioned in new regulations, the concern is usually to reduce their involvement in the Church.