diaconisa

Diaconisa is a term used in some Christian traditions to denote a woman who serves in the diaconate or who fulfils duties traditionally associated with deacons. The word derives from the Greek diakonissa, the feminine form of diakonos, meaning servant or minister.

In the early Christian Church, diakonissa referred to women who performed charitable and instructional work under the leadership of a bishop, and who sometimes assisted with baptisms and other liturgical or pastoral tasks. The exact status of the female diaconate varied by region and era. By late antiquity and into the medieval period in the Western Church, the formal role of deaconesses diminished, while some Eastern churches retained related functions for women.

Today, diaconisas or their equivalents appear in different forms across denominations. In many Anglican provinces, women have been ordained as deacons for generations, and in some places continue to serve in diaconal or similar ministerial roles. Various Lutheran and Reformed churches have deaconesses or female deacons, who may be lay or ordained depending on the national context. In many contemporary Protestant churches, the diaconate for women is recognized as an established order within the church's ministry structure.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the diaconate is currently reserved for men, and there is no provision for ordaining women to the diaconate. Historical discussions about a possible female diaconate have occurred, but no formal restoration of an ordained female diaconate has been implemented. Across traditions, diaconisas typically participate in charitable work, pastoral care, education, and service within worship and the wider church community.