General description of the ancient ordination rites of “deaconesses”

The rite according to the Apostolic Constitutions  – 500AD

The Barberini Manuscript. gr.336   – 780AD

Fragments of the Greek texts of the Barberini Manuscript

The Bessarion or Grotta Ferrata Mauscript. gr.Gb.1   – 1020AD
(or George Varus Manuscript)

Vatican Manuscript. gr.1872   -1050AD

The Coislin Manuscript or  the Strategius Euchologion. gr. 213  – 11th century
(including copies of some Greek texts)

A text reconstructed from seven manuscripts by Jacob Groar  -1647AD

The ordination of women deacons in the Syriac tradition   – 16th century

Live reconstructions of the rite

An overview of the rites and our debate with Rome

This website is maintained by the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research.