Today I heard a speaker comment that the Roman Catholic Church has a tremendous history of many esteemed women, some who were even Doctors of the Church (St. Therese Lisieux, Catherine of Siena, Etc.) These are not to found in Protestentism - just men (Luther, Calvin, Etc.) Does the Orthodox Church have such a history of esteemd women as well?
Thank You, Jim

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Topic: Orthodox Women?
Jim McD-STL
posted 06-09- 03:31 PM

Today I heard a speaker comment that the Roman Catholic Church has a tremendous history of many esteemed women, some who
were even Doctors of the Church (St. Therese Lisieux, Catherine of Siena, Etc.) These are not to found in Protestentism - just men
(Luther, Calvin, Etc.) Does the Orthodox Church have such a history of esteemd women as well?<<<

Where to begin?

1. St. Helena, Mother of St. Constantine, Equal to the Apostles, discoverer of the True Cross, and foundress of the Church of the Anastasis
2. St. Macrina, sister of St. Basil and St. Gregory, the "fourth Cappodocian, their teacher and inspiration, a major theologian in her own right
3. St. Olympias, Protodeaconess of Hagia Sophia, friend and confidante of St. John Chrysostom
4. St. Nino, Enlightener of the Georgians, Equal to the Apostles
5. St. Olga, the first Christian Rus'

That's just in the first millennium, and I have left out many others such as Macrina the Elder and St. Gorgonia.

Others can probably add to this list, bringing it right down to the present day.

StuartK - Thank you for the information. This feels like attending a family reunion and being introduced to some long lost relatives that I never met before. There is so much history and tradition in the Church, who could learn it all? This wonderful computer medium sure makes the world a smaller and better place for all of us.
Jim

Don't forget that the Eastern church tends to use the title "equal to the apostles" as opposed to "doctor of the church." I would also throw in one of my favorites, St. Mary of Egypt.

John

And let us not forget the Theotokos herself.

St. Anne

Kassiane, author of one of the Holy Week hymns.

Oh, musn't forget Katherine of Alexandria.

And the Myrrhbearing women.

A goodly number of the new martyrs are women.

Xenia of St. Petersburg

I heard on a tape by Fr. Thomas Hopko that once you eliminate all the saints who were hierarchs or other clergy, the numbers of holy men vs holy women are very close.

While I knew that there had to be Orthodox women saints and doctors, it is wonderful to read about them. (Personally I would be very suspicious of a Church that didn't as being a church more of man than of God).

Does anyone have any reading suggestions on or by these women? I would be greatly interested in that.