Byzantine Studies and History
Open access
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
The historical institution of the female diaconate represents a critical, yet frequently marginalized, paradigm of gender inclusion and ecclesiastical leadership within early and Byzantine Christianity. This study offers a critical, interdisciplinary synthesis of biblical, canonical, liturgical, and epigraphical testimonies from the first to the twelfth century to reconstruct the sacramental status and pastoral agency of ordained women. Utilizing an interdisciplinary methodology, we integrate text-critical analysis of early Byzantine Euchologia such as Codex Barberini gr. 336, with social history and epigraphical data from Jerusalem and Delphi. The research demonstrates that the setting apart of these women constituted a full sacramental ordination (cheirotonia) into the major orders, rather than a minor administrative blessing (cheirothesia). The findings illustrate that deaconesses wielded distinct administrative, instructional, and philanthropic authority, operating as essential pastoral mediators. Furthermore, we argue that the historical waning (atonia) of this parish-oriented office was driven by pragmatic liturgical mutations, specifically the rise of infant baptism and geopolitical shifts, rather than dogmatic prohibitions. Recovering this institutional memory provides a historically and spiritually validated framework for contemporary dialogues aimed at reviving the female diaconate to foster equitable, participatory, and socially engaged community practices today.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan "Evidence of the Institutional and Liturgical Integration of Deaconesses (1st–12th c.)" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Byzantine Studies and History research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Drosia2026Evidence,
title = {Evidence of the Institutional and Liturgical Integration of Deaconesses (1st–12th c.)},
author = {Aikaterini Drosia},
journal = {Religions},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.3390/rel17091035},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17091035}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Byzantine Studies and History research papers?
Follow Byzantine Studies and History research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for Evidence of the Institutional and Liturgical Integration of Deaconesses (1st–12th c.). Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app