Kvinnliga diakoner i den tidiga kyrkan

Fick ett nyhetsbrev om det just precis...

Ett utdrag:

"We have been asked many times why we call for a reinstatement of the diaconate for women. After much research, we have amassed evidence to prove that there were women deacons in the early church. The ordination of women deacons in the early Greek and Syriac speaking dioceses was clearly a real, sacramental ordination, equal to the ordination of male deacons based on the fact that in the ordination rituals, both the ordination of a deacon and of a deaconess is called cheirotonia, i.e. Greek for 'imposition of hands', 'ordination' and both the male and the female deacon are ordained by the Bishop.

There is plenty of evidence that women were ordained as deacons. Tens of thousands of women deacons served in parishes during the first millennium as is witnessed by literary records, inscriptions on tombs and 22 women deacon saints in the current liturgical calendar. At least 106 women deacons are known to us by name and ancient manuscripts have preserved the exact rite or ordination of women deacons. For instance the tombstone of Athanasia (of Delphi) reads:

"The devoted deaconess Athanasia, who lived a blameless life decorously, installed as deaconess by the most holy bishop Pantamianos, set up this memorial."

/.../

Following the press conference, the Petition calling for the diaconate to be restored to women, which had been coordinated by http://www.womenpriests.org/ and signed by 26 organisations representing 40,000 people, and 1700 individuals was taken to hand in at the Bronze Doors of the Vatican. After being confronted by the police the petition was finally handed over to the top Vatican security officer who told the women politely that they could not go any further and that he would make sure the Petition reached the Pope! So far there has been no reaction from the Vatican, so it has been decided to keep the petition alive collecting signatures until the Pope responds. The hierarchy must be awakened to the reality that it would neither be sacrilegious, contrary to nature nor a departure from sanctified Church law, to ordain women."