Helaria (fl. 6th c.)
Helaria (fl. 6th c.)
Deaconess of the early Frankish church. Flourished in the 6th century in France; daughter of Remy, bishop of Rheims; never married; no children.
Helaria belonged to a small group of ordained women of France in the early Middle Ages. Her father Remy's influential position as bishop of Rheims (he was eventually canonized) may have affected the Frankish Church's decision to consecrate Helaria as a deaconess after she was widowed. She was a highly educated woman whose upbringing taught her to dedicate her life to serving God. In the 6th century, numerous women like Helaria were consecrated. The office of deaconess proved highly problematic for the early Christian church; a woman in such a position, who was always a widow, was granted the spiritual authority to act as a priest, was allowed to administer the sacraments, and was permitted to travel and preach as a cleric.
Laura York , Riverside, California