Georgian ambassador speaks on role of women at IEC in Cebu

(Vatican Radio) The 51st International Eucharistic Congress is set to conclude this weekend in Cebu in the Philippines. Over the past week cardinals, bishops, clergy and lay people have been worshipping together, sharing testimonies, listening to presentations and reflecting on the theme of this year's Congress, ‘Christ in you, our hope of glory.’

The event, which is normally held every four years, also includes speakers from other Christian Churches. Among those presenting theological reflections this past week was Tamara Grdzelidze,  Georgia’s ambassador to the Holy See. An Orthodox theologian and former staff member of the World Council of Churches, she spoke on the theme ‘The Church is Woman: the missionary and pastoral role of women in the Church’.

Vatican Radio's Seàn-Patrick Lovett is in Cebu reporting on the Congress and spoke to the ambassador following her presentation…

Listen: 

Ambassador Tamara noted there were only two women presenting theological papers at the Congress and that she felt honoured to be sharing her views as one of the few non-Catholic presenters.

She said she decided to speak about the role of women in the Church in the first centuries and how they were “active and much more visible”, often honoured with titles, such as Mary Magdalene, known in the Orthodox world as ‘Apostle to the Apostles’, or St Nino, the woman revered as one of the first evangelisers of Georgia, known as ‘equal to the Apostles’.

The ambassador said she also reflected on the episode from St Luke’s Gospel where Jesus goes to visit Martha and Mary, an episode which is interpreted by the 3rd century theologian Origen, explaining how the contemplative and the practical ministries are inseparable ways of serving the Lord.

Finally she said her major question was related to the Orthodox Church, asking if it was time that the all-male hierarchy should question the fact that “women are not in decision-making positions in the Church”. She said she drew a parallel with the Catholic Church where women are able to teach theological subjects in academies or seminars or take part in theological dialogues and are thus held in higher regard.