medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Quote:
Custom and legislation provided for the status of clerical wives. On the day
of the husband's ordination, the wife received a special blessing. Such
wives, known as presbyterissae (presbyterae) and diaconissae (diaconae),
wore a distinctive garb and were not permitted to remarry, even after the
death of their husbands (Orléans, c. 573, c.22; Les 'Ordines Romani' du haut
moyen-âge 4:140*41).
Ends
Can anyone say to what period this refers ? And for how long this practice
and terminology survived ?
I am remembering that in their "Letters", Abelard refers to his wife Heloise
as "Deaconess" (even after she has become the abbess of the Paraclete) and
that this term has caused a good deal of puzzlement to Abelardian
commentators who are at a loss to account for it. Might this be the
explanation ? Could this term have survived to the 12th century ?
Brenda M. C.
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