by Athanasia Papadimitriou Titles for Priests' Wives According to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, "in our ecclesiastical tradition, [the priest's wife] is addressed as presbytera, the other half of the presbyteros (priest)." Priests' wives are known by … [Read more...]
The “Call” Of The Priest’s Wife: Part 6
by Athanasia Papadimitriou The Priest's Wife's Level of Commitment to Her Husband's Ministry Today's priest's wife has many options with respect to how much time and energy to commit to her husband's ministry. She can be a full-time mother or homemaker. She can work full-time or part-time … [Read more...]
The “Call” Of The Priest’s Wife: Part 5
by Athanasia Papadimitriou Late Call Priests and Converts Certain women face special challenges in deciding to share their husbands' ministry. In some cases, their husbands may have chosen to follow the call to the priesthood later in life. Such women face major emotional changes in their … [Read more...]
The “Call” Of The Priest’s Wife: Part 4
by Athanasia Papadimitriou The Priest's Wife's Consent to, and Participation in, the Priest's Ordination The priest's wife plays an important role in her husband’s ordination. First of all, she must consent in writing that she is willing for her husband to be ordained. As "one flesh" with her h … [Read more...]
The “Call” Of The Priest’s Wife: Part 3
by Athanasia Papadimitriou The Sacrament Bonds between the Priest and His Wife Two events in the life of a priest's wife stand out: her wedding day, and the day of her husband's ordination. These two events in the Church form the sacramental bonds between the priest and his wife. First, with the … [Read more...]
The “Call” Of The Priest’s Wife: Part 2
by Athanasia Papadimitriou Qualities & Education Qualities of a Priest's Wife According to Amilka S. Alivizatos, a twentieth century theologian in Greece, the ancient canons (rules) of the Church require that a woman, who, by the grace of God, will become a priest's wife, must have spiritual … [Read more...]
The “Call” Of the Priest’s Wife: Part 1
by Athanasia Papadimitriou Sharing Her Husband's Ministry The word "call" as used in this chapter is in quotation marks to distinguish it from the priest's call. The "call" of the priest's wife has no theological basis, yet many priests' wives feel that something inspired them, often from a young … [Read more...]
