The Coislin gr. 213 Manuscript
also known as the Strategios Euchologion
The Ordination of Women Deacons in the Byzantine/Greek Tradition
This manuscript is found in the Coislin collection of the National Library in Paris. It dates from the 11th century. The rites contained in the text are very old, certainly not later than the 7th and 8th centuries AD. It is close to the Bessarion manuscript. (Compare the text also with the Barberini gr. 336 manuscript!)
A definitive edition of the Greek text has been published by J. Duncan, PIO 1983.
A sample of the text of the manuscript with translation follows here:

Translation: Holy and Omnipotent Lord, through the birth of your Only Son our God from a Virgin according to the flesh, you have sanctified the female sex. You grant not only to men, but also to women the grace and coming (from above) of the Holy Spirit. Please, Lord, look on this your maid servant and dedicate her to the task of your diaconate, and pour out into her the rich and abundant giving of your Holy Spirit.
To see the full pages of the whole ordination rite on the manuscript:
+The Coislin gr 213 Manuscript - TRANSLATION
Text has been translated from the Greek, and made available on the Internet, by John Wijngaards.
In the original text, the ordination of the male deacon and the woman deacon are described separately. I publish them here side by side to show that the two ordinations are substantially the same.
MALE deacon |
WOMAN deacon |
§1. The order for the ordination (cheirotonia) of a deacon who must at least be 25 years old |
§1.
The order for the
ordination (cheirotonia) of a deaconess
|
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§2. For such a woman candidate all [ritual] is performed that is also performed for male deacons, with only a few differences. |
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§3. After the sacred offertory, the doors [of the sanctuary] are opened and, before the Deacon starts the litany All Saints, and after the prayer his mercies has been said by the bishop, the man who is to ordained Deacon is led by the archdeacon or by one of the other deacons to the sacred altar towards the right side of the bishop. The secretary on his left side hands the bishop a written statement and the secretary or archdeacon calls aloud: Pay attention! The bishop then reads the written statement in the hearing of all who stand around as follows: Divine Grace, which always heals what is infirm and makes up for what is lacking, promotes so-and-so, this most devout Subdeacon, to be a Deacon. Let us therefore pray that the grace of the Holy Spirit may descend on him. keeps his hand imposed on his head and prays: |
§3. For she is led to the sacred altar, her head
covered by the [womans] scarf, with the two tips of it in front [over her
shoulders]. |
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§4. Lord our God, in your providence you send the
working and abundance of your All-holy Spirit on those who through your
inscrutable power are constituted liturgical ministers to serve your immaculate
mysteries, please, preserve, Lord, this man whom you want me to promote to the
Deacon's task [leitourgia of the diaconate], in all seriousness and
strictness of good behaviour, that he may guard the mystery of faith with a
pure conscience. |
§4. Holy and Omnipotent Lord, through the birth
of your Only Son our God from a Virgin according to the flesh, you have
sanctified the female sex. You grant not only to men, but also to women the
grace and coming (from above) of the Holy Spirit. Please, Lord, look on this
your maid servant and dedicate her to the task of your diaconate, and pour out
into her the rich and abundant giving of your Holy Spirit. |
|
§5.The Archdeacon says intercessions, in a low voice, but in such a way that the Deacons around him can hear him and respond. Let us pray the Lord in peace. For heavenly peace. For her. For our father and Archbishop so-and-so, for his priesthood, help, perseverance, peace, health and the works of his hands, and for so-and-so who has now been promoted to be a Deacon, for his salvation we pray the Lord. That the merciful and people-loving Lord may give him a sincere and incontaminated diaconate, let us pray the Lord. For the faithful. For this city and the entire state. That we may be saved. And for all the people in need. Accept us. Save us. Have mercy on us. On the intercession of the all-holy immaculate one [Mary]. [Meanwhile the Archbishop keeping his hand on the head of the ordinand, prays as follows:] |
§5. While the deacons intercessions are said, the bishop keeping his hand on the head of the woman to be ordained, prays as follows: |
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§6. God, our Saviour, with incorruptible voice
you have foretold it, you announced that he would be first who would perform
the ministry of the diaconate, as is written in your holy Gospel: Who
ever wants to be first among you, must be your servant [diakonos],
please, Lord of all, fill this servant of yours whom you have made worthy to
enter the ministry [leitourgia] of Deacon, through the lifegiving coming of
your Holy life-giving Spirit with all faith, charity, power and holiness. |
§6. Lord, Master, you do not reject women who
dedicate themselves to you and who are willing, in a becoming way, to serve
your Holy House, but admit them to the order of your ministers
[leitourgôn]. |
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§7. The Archbishop imposes the stole [to horarion] on the ordinand. He kisses him and hands him the holy fan and makes him fan the [altar] table from the side while the deacon in the ambo says: Remembering all the saints. |
§7. After the Amen, the bishop puts the stole of the diaconate [to diakonikon horarion] round her neck, under her [woman's] scarf [maphorion], pulling the two extremities of the stole towards the front, while the deacon in the ambo says: Remembering all the saints.. |
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§8. With regard to the partaking of the divine mysteries, before the other deacons the ordained deacon receives of the sacred bread from the ordaining bishop and receives of the precious blood before others from the person who hands it to the bishop. With the priest or bishop who receives the holy chalice, he also partakes of it. If there are two chalices, he receives the second one from the bishop and going out [of the sanctuary] he hands the chalice to the people who are gathered. If there is only one chalice, he waits till all in the sanctuary received of the chalice from the priest or bishop who takes the chalice to the ordaining bishop. [The ordinand] then receives the chalice from him [the bishop] and going out distributes it to those who approach. |
§8. At the time of the partaking of the sacred
mysteries, she shares of the divine body and blood with the deacons. |
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An analysis of this ordination rite shows that the ordination of the woman deacon is the same as that for the male deacon, and undoubtedly sacramental. |



