Deaconesses have long assisted in the church's ministry

The Apostle Paul (Romans 16:1 and 1 Timothy 3:11) refers to what may have been a distinct office or order of deaconess in the Pauline congregations. The term did not however come into widespread use until the fourth century. Deaconesses were women of good repute and of mature age who ministered to sick and poor women. Deaconesses also assisted the bishops in interviews of women and with keeping order among the women of the church. In some places deaconesses continued for centuries to administer communion to other women. The most important distinct liturgical function of the deaconesses in the early church was to assist with the baptism of women which involved a ritual unclothing and clothing of candidates. The office of deaconess declined in importance when the baptizing of adult women became rare.