A crack in the glass ceiling in the Orthodox Church may move Pope Francis one step closer to lifting the Canon Law that prohibits the ordination of women in the Roman Catholic Church . He could take a step forward by lifting the unjust penalty of excommunication against women priests in the international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement. We have been creating a Church for everyone in inclusive Catholic communities where all are welcome to receive Eucharist.
Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP
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"The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa has ordained its first female deacon in Zimbabwe. This decision, which was made to address "local pastoral needs," has reignited age-old debates in the fractured landscape of global Orthodoxy."
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► Why did the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria decide to proceed with the ordination of a woman deacon on May 2?
For the first time, after years of intense debate over the restoration of the female diaconate in Eastern Orthodox Churches, Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, on May 2 ordained Angelic Molen as its first deaconess. Molen, a geography student from Harare, had long been dedicated to serving her community—particularly the youth, for whom she had helped establish confessional schools.
Further reading: Women deacons?
Her ordination ceremony took place at St. Nektarios Mission Parish near the capital Harare, just days before the Orthodox Easter celebrated on May 5. Highly symbolic, this decision was justified by a desire to meet local pastoral needs as Orthodox communities continue to grow in Africa.
For years, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria (the Orthodox Church in the continent of Africa)had been intensifying efforts to reopen the path to the female diaconate. After unanimously voting for its rehabilitation at its synod in Alexandria in 2016, it had already ordained six sub-deaconesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo the following year. This time, the responsibilities of Molen—and potentially future deaconesses—will include assisting priests in liturgy and the sacraments.
► What exactly will her role be?
Her role appears not to mirror that of ancient deaconesses. "In the Byzantine Greek tradition, both the Didascalia and the Apostolic Constitutions confirm that deaconesses were responsible for the catechetical and spiritual formation of women, and performed social work; the deaconess assisted the bishop during the baptism of women, which was the norm in the very early centuries," wrote Christine Chaillot, a specialist in the history and spirituality of Orthodox Churches, noting that they were also "authorized to bring communion to sick women at home."
"The whole debate rests on this question, which remains open, of whether they received a sacramental ordination that conferred a liturgical function," said theologian Jean-François Colosimo, a specialist in Orthodoxy.
Further reading: Women and the Church: mothers first and believers second?
Prior to the ordination, Metropolitan Seraphim argued that the role of Deaconess Molen would be both pastoral and liturgical. "She is going to do what the deacon is doing in the Liturgy and in all the sacraments in our Orthodox services," he said, specifying that one of her functions would be to distribute the Eucharist—which the newly ordained did immediately, using a spoon according to the Byzantine rite. However, this aspect has sparked considerable debate within the Patriarchate of Alexandria, which seemed to regret in a recent statement that Metropolitan Seraphim made this decision without waiting for the conclusions of a study session currently in progress to define the parameters of these female ministries.
► Are other Orthodox Churches ready to follow suit?
In a statement, the Saint Phoebe Center, a U.S.-based organization advocating for the restoration of the female diaconate, welcomed this precedent-setting situation. "Being the first to do anything is always a challenge, but the Patriarchate of Alexandria has courageously chosen to lead the way," said its board president, Carrie Frost, adding that she was convinced of the "great importance" of this choice "for the rest of the Orthodox Church."
However, speaking to La Croix, a senior official of the Patriarchate of Alexandria doubted the possibility of other local Churches following this path in the short term, as Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria had faced criticism from more conservative factions and any change within Orthodoxy generally "takes a lot of time."
Moreover, "this unilateral decision may open new internal tensions, which the Patriarchate of Alexandria could well do without," said Colosimo.
In a broader sense, the issue fuels deep divisions within Orthodoxy on a global level. It pits those in favor of reviving this ancient practice against those who see it as potentially undermining Orthodox hierarchy, ultimately leading to a series of other "unwanted" changes in Orthodoxy, such as the ordination of women priests.
► Where do Catholics stand on this issue?
In the Catholic Church, the debate on female diaconate dates back to the Second Vatican Council, which, in restoring the permanent diaconate for men, had rekindled theological reflection for women. In 2016, Pope Francis created a special commission, composed of theologians (six men, and six women), to consider reopening this possibility. However, this group was unable to find common ground and discontinued after several years of work, leaving the project at a standstill.
More recently, the Vatican's decision to remove the topic from the agenda for the next session of the Synod on synodality, which will continue in Rome in October 2024, caused bewilderment among some Catholics who had prominently featured it in their field feedback."
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