Embracing the Beauty of Womanhood

"Indeed, after twenty long centuries, in her attempt to gain her rights, the modern woman has again ended up becoming the victim of various exploitations...The teaching of Christ, His work, His passion and resurrection, His church, His promises for the present and the future age constitute the only secure context for life and the full potential of women in particular. Only when women are re-baptized in the waters of the gospel will they be able to recognize their noble lineage, and once again recover their identity and fulfill their high calling, which is their rebirth, maturity, and perfection in Christ," from the prologue of The Perfection of Women in Christ by Abbess Theologia, which I first encountered at Saint Paisius Monastery. It is published by Newrome Press.

This beautiful book goes in depth into the history of well... women. We have so many to look up to, like the desert ascetics, the monastics, the venerable mothers, the one numbered amongst apostles, and the list goes on. Throughout the ages, it elaborated on how women were treated in different regions, religions, and time periods. Above all, it goes in-depth on how Christianity views women. Women are sacred within the church, just look at how we view the mother of our church, the Holy Theotokos, and ever-virgin Mary, we adorn her as the mother of our God.

The whole Island of Mount Athos is dedicated to the Theotokos; she's the only woman welcome and allowed in the entire island of monks. She is the strongest intercessor of our beautiful faith, and as many intercessors as we have, we can always call upon the mother of our God and ask her to intercede for us. The first beautitude of the bible came about after Christ was asked to make more wine by his Holy Mother! He didn't want to reveal himself before His time, but did so to honor his mother. A son always listens to his mother!

In one of my favorite poetic Akathist Hymns of the church, it began as a poem and was seen as more of a general prayer. When Constantinople was under attack, citizens and clergy carried her icon and chanted this hymn around the city walls. A sudden storm hit and destroyed the Avar and Persian fleet and freed the people of the city, who then stood in reverence and sang to her in thanksgiving. This beautiful, poetic hymn is greater than I could elaborate. The main parts of the hymn begin with the salutations of the Archangel Gabriel. When I've encountered it, it's been sung in small compline services on Fridays during Lent. "To Thee, the Champion Leader, so I offer thanks of victory: O Theotokos, thou who hast delivered me from terror. But as thou that hast that power invincible, O theotokos, thou alone can set me free. From all forms of danger free and deliver me, that I may cry unto thee, Hail, O bride without bridegroom!"

You can find more details about it here!

There's no question our Orthodox tradition views women as sacred. The incarnation of Christ has freed women through His gospel. Having a gospel-centered view of womenhood is important; women become devalued as they once were. A great example of a woman who turned her heart to Christ and ascended in spiritual maturity and perfection in Christ was Saint Mary of Egypt. She is a great example of the fact that women can reach the highest levels of holiness through self-denial, prayer, and repentance.

Within a monastic life, or within a life of sacrifice in a family unit, or within a life of living for Christ alone, women can gain great blessings and embrace purity and piety, which is what will eventually fulfill us.

Some women have a calling to monasticism and are constantly praying for the world. Some might have the desire to leave the secular world, but might also have a deep desire for a family. Again, I am no expert, but any which way Christ calls you, it is very important to attend to that calling.

I feel called to gentleness and femininity, to be a homemaker and be a rib. To have a warm, loving home that glorifies Christ above all. It's deeper than taking care of the people around you, but doing it for God alone. I know I sound simple, and can't fully explain the fulfillment I have seen come from this way of life, but it is true beauty. It is not outward adornment, but adorning of the soul. Saint Melania says," The soul is like a bride who is to adorn herself with the ornaments of the virtues." Only through Christ can women truly reach fulfillment, not by feminism or worshiping ourselves, but through a strong love and faith in our Lord and Savior.

Why am I so vocal about this? Well, "...to remain silent about God's wonderful works, is of great loss to the soul," -Saint Mary of Egypt. Women are far more valuable in Christ than in a worldly context. I have the book by Abbess Theologia being passed around to different women in my parish.

I don't even own my own copy anymore because I truly believe this is the message we need to hear. In an age of deception, we cannot let ideologies like feminism imprison us. Many people have criticisms on this, and think "first wave feminism" and those to follow have given us great freedom, but they have devalued us more then "freed" us, we now try to reach unrealistic levels of beauty, we may devalue ourselves seeking love in ungodly ways where it cannot be found, and dig ourselves into a deeper hole of dispair thinking the world revolves around us, but it truly does not. We are created, and for a purpose that God has for us, not for our own blind self-will.

It is truly through self-sacrifice that we become who we're meant to be, I see it every day with the mothers I meet and interact with, the women who serve and do good works around me, my godmother and sisters, presbyteras, church councilors, nuns I've known, abbesses I look up to, chanters and their melodic voices, and all the women who have helped me in ways they might not even know.

I say all this with the deepest love, not to condemn or judge. I myself am to be judged by God, as we all are. ("Whatever you do, on no account condemn anyone, do not even try to judge whether a person is good or bad, but keep your eyes on the one evil person for whom you must account before God -Yourself." -Saint. Ignations Brianchaninov.)

Your friend in Christ,

Melania.

Your friend in Christ, Mel

See what’s to come!

© 2024. All rights reserved.

Terms & conditions