A woman "ordained" as deaconess in Alexandrian Patriarchate
Deaconess Angelic administers communion to believers. Photo: orthodoxdeaconess.org
On May 2, 2024, on Maundy Thursday, Metropolitan Serafim (Kykotis) of Zimbabwe of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church "ordained" Angelic Molen as a deaconess.
The orthodoxdeaconess.org website, where this information was posted, reports that such a "historic event would not have been possible without the approval and support of the Holy Synod of the Alexandrian Church and Patriarch Theodoros".
Deaconess Angelic has worked to engage the Orthodox youth of Zimbabwe and build a foundation of pastoral care within her community..
She has organized church school, mothers’s groups, and youth meetings.. As stated on the orthodoxdeaconess.org website, Angelic "is pursuing university education in order to better serve as an ordained member of the Orthodox Church. She is studying Geography and Environmental Studies, placing the sanctity of Earth at the forefront of her work".
According to her, "The Earth is a sacred gift from God. We must protect it from harm and live in harmony with the plants, animals, and every living thing."
When asked about her ordination, Angelic replied: "At first I was nervous about going into the altar, but when Metropolitan Serafim blessed me to enter the altar as part of my preparation this week, those feelings went away and I felt comfortable. I am ready."
Responding to questions about the role of deaconess Angelic and future deaconesses in Africa, Metropolitan Serafim stated that "she is going to do what the deacon is doing in the Liturgy and in all the sacraments in our Orthodox services."
The same source emphasizes that in the case of deaconess Angelic, we are talking about ordination: "The ordination of Deaconess Angelic in Zimbabwe was the fulfillment of the unanimous decision of the Holy Patriarchal Synod Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria in 2016 to follow the Apostolic Tradition of the Orthodox Church to renew the ancient institution of deaconess for pastoral reasons."
On May 4, on Holy Saturday, Metropolitan Serafim elevated Deaconess Angelica to the rank of archdeacon.
Earlier, on the Internet, a cleric of the OCU was shown teaching a girl in the church about diaconal ministry.
Read also
TRC abducts cleric of Bancheny Monastery but releases him after believers' rally
Hundreds of believers gathered at the gates of the TRC in Chernivtsi. Military commissars released the abducted archimandrite of the Bancheny Monastery.
Persecuted UOC parishes in Bukovyna celebrate Sunday of Myrrh-Bearing Women
UOC communities deprived of their churches held services for the feast of the Myrrh-Bearing Women.
UOC donates equipment worth UAH 200,000 to Okhmatdyt
The Odesa Eparchy of the UOC has completed a large-scale campaign to raise funds for young patients’ needs, the UOC Information Center reports.
Pope prays with Anglican female bishop, calls Christians to unity
Leo XIV received Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally at the Vatican and said divisions must be overcome.
OCU spokesman: St. Nicholas did not take part in First Ecumenical Council
Zoria called the participation of St. Nicholas of Myra in the Council of Nicaea a product of later perception – saying the saint was “definitely not there.”
Hungary nationalizes UGCC monastery and hands it over to local Uniates
Hungarian authorities nationalized the UGCC monastery in Máriapócs and transferred it to a Hungarian Greek Catholic structure, evicting the Basilians.