Episcopal Deaconesses

History, photos and stories of these unsung heroes of the Church
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In the Episcopal Church, Deaconesses were faith-filled women who were the early pioneers of servant ministry. Being "set apart" as a deaconess by their bishops was one of the few ways women could serve the Church in the years before the ordination of women. 

It's been recorded that four deaconesses were ordained by Bp. William Whittingham of Maryland in September, 1856. At the time, women in the USA were not ordained as deacons. In 1970, the last of some 500 deaconesses were ordained. That same year, when General Convention voted to allow women to be ordained as deacons, the deaconesses were automatically included in this group.

Meet the Deaconesses
​A-F      G-L      M-R      S-Z

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Deaconess Adeline Blanchard Tyler and her Companions
Feast Day - November 4
Honoring the first Episcopal deaconess.

​Download this Bulletin insert about these early women.

Lesser Feasts & Fasts commemorates many historic deaconesses, and deacons.

Resources

• ​Deaconess Readings for Liturgical use
• Historical dates
• ​Year Books of the New York Training School for Deaconesses
• Proper for Deaconesses
• Deaconess Commemorations at the Sisters in Faith website, by Deacon Patricia Marks. ​

Presentations

• Presentation on Deaconess Harriet Bedell, by Deacon Tracie Middleton.
• Presentation on Deaconess Adeline Blanchard Tyler, prepared by Deacon Daphne Noyes for Episcopal Women's History Project.  ​

History buff?  Lover of deacon lore?
Join The Fund's History & Archives Forum. Open to all persons, ordained and lay. 

History

• Unlocking the History of the Deaconesses, by The Living Church, 2022. The 100-year-old book,The Memorial Book of the Retirement Fund for Deaconesses, offers details to the early days of Deaconesses.​
• 1916 Alumnae Bulletin, New York Training School for Deaconesses.
• The Deaconess and her ministry in the Episcopal Church, National Conference of Deaconesses, 1949.
  
• Prayers for the Order of Deaconesses 1949; 2019.

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Procession of Deaconess candidates, NYC, 1914
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Know of a deaconess we've missed? Please contact Deacon Anne, webmaster.