Patriarchate of Alexandria to restore deaconess ministry

November 21, 2016

Photo: http://www.pravoslavie.ru/98787.html Photo: http://www.pravoslavie.ru/98787.html
    

The Alexandrian Orthodox Church intends to restore the institution of deaconesses which existed in the early centuries of the Orthodox Church, as reported on the patriarchate’s official website.

Under the chairmanship of Patriarch Theodoros II the Holy Synod of the Alexandrian Church reviewed the issue at their November 16 session, with a report being offered by Metropolitan Gregory of Cameroon in which he highlighted the missionary focus of the deaconess ministry. His report was followed by a detailed discussion of the issue.

Having decided to restore the institution, the Alexandrian synod formed a three-bishop committee for thoroughly studying the issue.

What functions, including liturgical, if any, will be entrusted to the new deaconesses remains to be seen.

11/21/2016

Comments
Christopher Forrester11/17/2019 8:23 am
There are many including clergy who follow the world. They distort the truth to suit the world. Deaconesses were merely blessed to be among naked women at adult baptism. Men couldn't obviously go there. The agenda now is to get women into the sanctuary and build up to on unapostolic and invalid ordination. The bishops have no authority to set up this fakery. With what sort of self delusion do they think they have? If they try then there is no Orthodoxy.
Gregory 3/30/2018 5:08 am
Feminism is one of the tentacles of antichrist and therefore has no place in the Orthodox Church, the “pillar and foundation of the Truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). End of story.
Joshua10/4/2017 4:55 am
I believe that this is a very good thing, and that the Church should maintain its traditions in every way, including ones that may seem controversial.
Luke6/11/2017 5:58 am
This needs to be done in a conciliar decision. Otherwise women who may be a deacon in Alexandria may transfer or visit another diocese and expect recognition where it will not be given. That will cause dissension in the Church.
Chester11/24/2016 6:31 am
This is not good news for anyone.
John May11/23/2016 2:12 am
Could a statement be filled with more "social justice" i.e. cultural Marxist rhetoric?

This makes mr worried that Deaconesses in the Church will not even take their Traditional role (which seems unnecessary, even in Africa, in this day in age), but that the Church of Alexandria is succumbing to feminism and will re-write history and women's role in Church (I pray that I am wrong, but if the statement is a reflection of their intentions, then I don't know)...
Magdalena11/22/2016 8:03 am
This is good news for us African Orthodox women.
D. B. Soliman 11/22/2016 5:39 am
Proud of our open-minded Pope Tawadros. Hope he regulates length of mass & its punctual start & end, also limiting the Coptic language that we can read but not understand in the mass as well.
Fr. Antipas11/21/2016 9:14 pm
I hope that we will not degenerate to "inovation" or something similar to women ordination.
Demetrius Manolakos,Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.11/21/2016 5:51 pm
In light of developments in the world, I believe it is time to reconsider the position of the Church in many many matters and this is an excellent start. I hope it will be followed by all the Patriarchates of the Orthodox Church.
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