Abstract

José-Juan Fresnillo Ahijón:
The deaconesses at the Council of Nicaea
(FKTh 2025-4, p. 266–279)

The information provided by the Council of Nicaea on deaconesses goes beyond the creation of the neologism διακόνισσα. Regarding the accession of the Paulianists to the Catholic Church, canon 19 establishes the manner of this incorporation by referring to those who ex¬ercised a function among the disciples of Paul of Samosata. Significant is the reference to Paulianist deaconesses, whose lay status is affirmed because they did not receive the laying on of hands, and also their belonging to the “canon” which listed various groups recognised by the Church (official collaborators and people in need of help). This information is clearly conveyed, despite the qualifications that the text of canon 19 has sometimes received. It is not possible to speak of either the ordination of deaconesses or their membership of the clergy. What has been said about Paulianist deaconesses, without the need to extrapolate data, helps us to understand the Nicene Fathers’ conception of deaconesses and their reality in the Catholic Church.The information provided by the Council of Nicaea on deaconesses goes beyond the creation of the neologism διακόνισσα. Regarding the accession of the Paulianists to the Catholic Church, canon 19 establishes the manner of this incorporation by referring to those who exercised a function among the disciples of Paul of Samosata. Significant is the reference to Paulianist deaconesses, whose lay status is affirmed because they did not receive the laying on of hands, and also their belonging to the “canon” which listed various groups recognised by the Church (official collaborators and people in need of help). This information is clearly conveyed, despite the qualifications that the text of canon 19 has sometimes received. It is not possible to speak of either the ordination of deaconesses or their membership of the clergy. What has been said about Paulianist deaconesses, without the need to extrapolate data, helps us to understand the Nicene Fathers’ conception of deaconesses and their reality in the Catholic Church.