Letter 62: Severus says persecution may make presbyteral and diaconal ordination urgent, but deaconesses in monasteries are mainly a matter of honor.

Severus continues the same damaged correspondence. He praises moderation and humility by recalling Moses as the "man of God," then answers the recipients' fear that persecution and confusion might leave their communities without bishops able to ordain. He grants that such a fear could matter when a presbyter or male deacon is needed for the Eucharistic ministry. But he sharply distinguishes that from the ordination of deaconesses, especially in monasteries. In his view, deaconesses in that setting are received chiefly for honor, not because the mysteries require them in the same way. The point of the letter is practical and disciplinary. Severus repeats himself because he wants the recipients to act lawfully and honorably, not only before God but also before other people. If they conduct themselves with the clarity praised in Proverbs, Paul, and the Gospel, their light will shine publicly and others will glorify God. He ends by praying that God will bring a good end to what has already been done and cover it with grace.

And it seems to me that it was owing to this moderation of character and humility of mind that the God-inspired scripture in Omissions named Moses "the man of God," the words of the context being as follows: " And Moses, the man of God. And his sons were called to the observance ''' As to your 14.; so throughout. time of confusion and persecution, lest we and the places in which we live should lack bishops to ordain/' as far as the ordination of a presbyter or of a male deacon, by whom the bloodless sacrifice is of necessity performed, is concerned, this plea would have been good. But in the case of a female deaconess, especially in monasteries, ordination is received not so much tor the sake of the requirements of the mysteries, but for the sake of honour only (for the deaconesses in the cities are in the habit of ministerinor to the divine laver of regeneration in the case of females who are baptized). These things I have been compelled to repeat owingto my wish and prayer that in accordance with your high and praiseworthy character you may do everything in a lawful manner and, as it is written in Proverbs and in the Apostle, " provide things honest not only before the Lord but also before men,"^ so that, in accordance with the testimony of our God and Saviour Jesus, "your light may shine before men" and "they may glorify your Father in heaven," - and we ourselves may justly boast of you. And, now that these words have been thus spoken, we pray that God may grant a good ending to the things which have once in whatever way been done by you, and may cover them with the abundance of His graciousness.