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From Acherium, Points of Law, vol. I, p. 431 (Patres
Latini 134. 114). Translated for www.womenpriests.org by
Mary Ann Rossi
LETTER VIII. Atto to the priest Ambrose
Note: In this text Atto (9th or 10th cent.) presents two
alternative interpretations for the terms ‘women priests’ and
‘women deacons’ mentioned in the ancient records: (a) these women
were real ordained ministers; or (b) they were the wives of priests and
deacons. Atto says he believes the former opinion (a) is
true.
paragraph numbering by John Wijngaards
1. Atto by the grace of God humble Bishop, to Lord Ambrose, most reverend
and holy priest, discourses devoted to Christ in the bond of charity. Since we
know how to exhort the Omnipotent through your holiness because of our
weakness, we openly ask for immense benefits.
2. Having prostrated ourselves with holy signs, we implore that this be
done without delay. Although we are of unequal merit, trusting nevertheless in
your virtues, we ought not to neglect doing good for you in any way possible.
For when we had heard of your illness repeatedly, it was as if my own limbs
were wearing away. But we believe that blessed Paul understood, when he said:
‘For when I am weak, then I am stronger’ (II Cor. XII,
10).
3. May God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so sustain and chastise
you that adversity may not defeat you, nor prosperity elate you. Finally we
give you repeated thanks because in all the topics on which we have questioned
you, you have taken care to instruct us abundantly. Moreover, we are utterly
amazed that a huge fountain built up through so many streams hardly should
require more liquid from sweating veins. For if some humor should be found in
it, it will be shown to be distilled from a stronger liquid.
4. Therefore since your discretion has prompted you to ask how we ought
to understand in the canons for the terms ‘female priest’ or
‘female deacon’, it seems to me that since in the primitive Church,
according to the Dominican word, many are the crops and few the
laborers, for
the helping of men even religious women were ordained caretakers in the holy
Church. This is something that blessed Paul points out in his epistle to the
Romans when he says, ‘I commend to you my sister Phoebe, who is in the
ministry of the church that is in Cenchrae.’ One understands this because
then not only men, but also women were in charge of the Churches, to be sure
for the sake of great efficiency. For women, long accustomed to the rites of
pagans, instructed as well in philosophical doctrines, were converted more
readily for these reasons, and were more easily instructed thoroughly in the
worship of religion.This practice c.11 of the Laodicean Council later prohibits
when it says that it is not allowed for those women who are called
‘priests’ or ‘those presiding’ to be ordained in the
Churches.
5. We believe that women deacons were truly ministers of such duties.
For we call a minister a deacon, from which we perceive the termdeaconess is derived. Finally we
read in c.15 of the Chalcedonian council, that a deaconess must not be ordained
before her fortieth year, and this with the greatest deliberation. We also
believe the following: that the office of baptizing was enjoined upon women so
that the bodies of other women might be touched by them without any deeply felt
sense of shame. For in the Oriental Statutes it has been written (Concil.
Carthag. iv, c.12) Widows or pious women who are chosen for the ministry of
baptizing women should be so instructed in their office that they can, with
fitting and correct speech, teach unskilled and simple women how to answer
questions at the time of their baptism, and how they should live now that they
have been baptized. For just as these women who were called priests
(presbyterae)
had assumed the
duty of preaching, ordering, and instructing, in the same way clearly the
deaconesses had assumed the duty of ministering and baptizing, a practice which
today is not at all in use. For infants are baptized in the religion of their
parents at such a young age that there can be no impediment of modesty or
shame. Therefore it has now been established that women should not presume to
take up the custom of baptizing.
6. There are also those who have asserted that those women called
deacons in ancient times we now call abbesses, something which I do not find at
all fitting. For an Abbott is called Father; whence according to the rule of
nouns derived in the feminine gender, abbess keeps the same meaning. The power
of this word, equally of fear and of love, of reverence and affection, explains
the quality. We understand the woman deacon as nothing other than the minister.
Hence if the name of this office had endured also in some way in those matters
which are now seen to be dispensed by women, we would consider those women
deacons who, subdued by old age, serving religious life in chastity, prepare
the oblations to be offered to the priests, keep watch over the thresholds of
the churches, and wash the pavements.
7. We could also consider as priests and deaconesses those women who
were joined in marriage to priests and deacons before their ordination. They
ought to live chastely with these women afterwards, just as has been
promulgated in the canons, under the title of the apostles, ch. 6: “Let
the Bishop, Priest, and Deacon by no means cast off their own wives under the
cover of religion; if he truly refuses, let him be excommunicated; if he
perseveres, let him be driven out.”
8. Likewise from the decrees of Pope Leo, ch. 17: “There is the same
law of continence for ministers of the altar as there is for bishops and
priests, who when they were laity or lectors, could legally take wives and have
children, but who, when they reached the higher grades just mentioned, were no
longer allowed to do what was earlier allowed.” Hence as marriage was made
spiritual from carnal, it was necessary for them not to dismiss their wives,
but to hold them as if they did not have them, so that wedlock was safe and
sexual intercourse ceased. But more willingly do I accept the terms that have
been explicated according to the higher sense, most esteemed teacher, until I
deserve to be more clearly informed by you. In all these matters, truly, just
as you have mandated, marriages have been negated, so that ecclesiastical honor
may be preserved in all matters.
9. Moreover we humbly ask your indulgence concerning a letter found in
the canons, of which chapter 11 is well known, which seems to me to be most
useful, and the beginning of it is the following: “First of all, let all
priests and deacons, or subdeacons, hold the Catholic faith firmly in mind, so
that if anyone neglects to do so, let him abstain from wine for forty days; and
later if he should have neglected the abstinence imposed, let the judgment be
doubled for him.” Or regarding the ancient statutes of the Orientals, of
which one hundred chapters are numbered. From which, according to our practice,
there is first a questioning in every consecration of bishops, of which the
beginning is this:
“It is necessary for one who ought to be a bishop,
for him to be questioned beforehand, etc.” To the end that, in all these
matters, you may deem us worthy to make certain, at what time or place they
should be set up, under what prince or what Fathers, how they should be judged
either to be received completely, or to be rejected on some account. May the
Omnipotent Lord deem your prudence worthy to serve us, so that ruled by it, we
may prevail in following the right path.
xxxXXXxxx
To consider the importance of Atto's testimony within a wider
context, read these two articles by Professor Giorgio
Otranto:
- "Notes on the Female
Priesthood in Antiquity", Journal of Feminist Studies 7
(1991) no 1, pp. 73 - 94.
- ‘The Problem of the
Ordination of Women in the Early Christian Priesthood’, paper
of USA lecture tour, 1991.
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