Deaconesses are ordained by an Orthodox Archbishop so reports PRAYTELL.
However if one views the photos of the actual consecration and reads the story one knows these women are not ordained deacons for only men can be that.
Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria performs first consecration of deaconesses
On the feast of the Saint and Great Martyr Theodore of Tyre, 17 February 2016, the day on which His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa celebrates his name day, a festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Holy Church of St Nicholas, within the Missionary Centre of Kolwezi.
Together with the Alexandrian Primate concelebrated Their Eminences Nicephorus, Metropolitan of Kinshasa, Innocent, Metropolitan of Burundi and Rwanda, and the local Metropolitan Meletios of Katanga, accompanied by the Clergy of the Hy Metropolis.
As the official site of the Patriarchate reports, His Beatitude the Patriarch spoke during his homily about the Great Martyr St Theodoros, emphasising the confession of martyrdom before the persecutors of faith and his love for Jesus Christ.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy the Primate of the Alexandrian Throne consecrated the Catechist elder Theano, one of the first members of the Missionary staff in Kolwezi, to “Deaconess of the Missions” of the Holy Metropolis of Katanga and read the prayer for one entering the “ecclesiastic ministry” for three Nuns and two Catechists, in order for them to assist the missionary effort of the Holy Metropolis, particularly in the Sacraments of Baptisms of adults and marriages, as well as in the Catechetical department of the local Church.
Note that it is the first time in the history of Missions in Africa that these consecrations have been done.
The Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria restored the deaconess ministry during its working session held in November 2016.
Several holy women who fulfiled the deaconess ministry are enlisted in the Orthodox Calendar, among whom the most well known are St Tatiana (January 12), St Olympias (July 25), and St Foebe (September 3).
4 comments:
Liberals advance their agenda by prevaricating
So, reconciliation just took a big step backward? Or, when these groups decide to "swim the Aegean" they will need to avoid the Siren's call.
No big deal... as the dean of Atlanta's Greek Orthodox Cathedral told me months ago, deaconesses mainly assisted with female baptisms and brought communion to the sick, but they did not play a liturgical role on the altar. A deaconess then did not have the same role as a male deacon. The bigger deal would be if the Orthodox ordained women as priests, but in any event unlikely with Rome is highly unlikely anytime soon.
Anonymous at 425---I left out the word "reunion" in my last line, meant to say reunion unlikely with Rome anytime soon---if ever. From what I have read, though, the Orthodox have never held an ecumenical council---the highest authority in their Church---to say that priestly ordination of women is impossible.
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