THE DEMISE OF THE DEACONESS MINISTRY OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH

Abstract

The article shows that the concepts of deaconess, which persisted until the Middle Ages, will be synonymous with the word nun and will not be associated with a special female ministry, the final institutionalization and further existence of which became impossible due to the lack of its close connection with liturgical functions. The most important issue, which has not lost its relevance to this day in both academic and applied meaning, is the issue of institutionalizing women's church service, an alternative to both monastic and exclusively social. However, this issue should be recognized as closely connected not so much with the needs of modern society, but with the needs of the Church and the general church consciousness. In the course of research, we have analyzed the reasons of demise of deaconess ministry in the Eastern and Western traditions of the Ancient Church. In these texts there is a special importance was attached to features inherent in deaconesses, who are obliged to lead a strict pious life and perform certain ceremonial functions while attending divine services.