HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

The order of virgin, a life of virginity for the sake of Christ and his Church, is an ancient form of Christian religious living already mentioned in the New Testament. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, noted the presence in that Church of the “unmarried woman” who, “like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affair; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit…” (7:34). Philip, one of the seven deacons, as narrated in the Acts of the Apostles, had four virgin daughters who were prophets (cf. 21: 9). These virgins either lived with their own family or lived in a private house.

This form of life predated the foundation of religious orders by centuries. It is indeed the oldest recognized form of consecrated life in the Church. One of the earliest non New Testament references to consecrated virgins as a distinct group within the Church is found in St. Ignatius of Antioch’s letter to the Smyrnaeans, written about 110 A.D. Later, Church Fathers, such as St. Cyprian and St. Ambrose, wrote extensive treatises on this form of consecrated life.  Primitive versions of the rite of consecration to a life of virginity appears in the oldest written liturgical records.

A number of early Christian martyrs were women or girls who had given themselves to Christ in perpetual virginity, such as Saint Agnes of Rome, Agatha of Sicily, Lucy of Syracuse and Euphemia of Chalcedon. All were 3rd century martyrs. And so, before it was historically possible for a woman to enter a religious order to become a nun, she could offer her life to God as a consecrated virgin. But with the rise of monastic religious life, beginning in the sixth century A.D., the practice of having consecrated women living “in the world,” or outside of monasteries, gradually fell into disuse until it was discontinued in the Middle Ages.

During this time this form of consecrated life was almost completely absorbed into monastic life. It did not, however, entirely disappear. One example was St. Catherine of Siena, who consecrated her virginity to Christ while living in her family home, and later was active in the world. She was recognized as a woman consecrated to Christ through her status as a Dominican tertiary. Nevertheless, the ancient rite of consecration to a life of virginity was preserved by certain religious orders who continued to use the ritual in conjunction with the solemn profession. of contemplative nuns. It was in the later half of the twentieth century that this rite of consecration was revised and the vocation of consecrated virginity in the world was restored to the life of the Church.

Precisely, it was in 1963 during the Second Vatican Council that the Fathers of the Council, in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, n. 80, called for a revision of the rite of  consecration of virgins as found in the Roman Pontifical. The revised rite was approved by Pope Paul VI and published in 1970. With this rite consecration could be bestowed either on women in monastic orders or on women living in the world. Thus, in taking these steps, the Church revived a form of life that was found in the early Church.

In his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata, John Paul II gave expression to his joy when he said: “it is a source of joy and hope to witness in our time a new flowering of the ancient Order of Virgins, known in Christian communities ever since apostolic times. Consecrated by the diocesan bishop, these women acquire a particular link with the Church, which they are committed to serve while remaining in the world. Either alone or in association with others, they constitute a special eschatological image of the Heavenly Bride and of the life to come when the Church will at last fully live her love for Christ the Bridegroom” (Rome, 25 March 1996).

In most recent time, the Code of Canon Law, in Canon 604, provided legislation to structure the order of virgins: “Similar to these forms of consecrated life is the order of virgins, who, committed to the holy plan of following Christ more closely, are consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite, are betrothed mystically to Christ, the Son of God, and are dedicated to the service of the Church. In order to observe their commitment more faithfully and to perform by mutual support service to the Church which is in harmony with their state these virgins can form themselves into associations.”

IDENTITY

A consecrated virgin is a woman who has been consecrated by the Church to a life of perpetual virginity in the service of God. She is called to spend her time in works of penance and mercy, in apostolic activity and in prayer, in keeping with her state of life and  spiritual gifts.

The introduction to the rite of consecration to a life of virginity published by the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, 31 March, 1970, states the following requirements for women living in the world who aspire to receive  consecration: They must never have married or lived in open violation of chastity. Their prudent and universally approved character must give assurance of perseverance in a life of chastity dedicated to the service of the Church and of neighbour. They can only be admitted to consecration by a  Bishop who, as local ordinary, is the minister of the rite of consecration. She is committed, not only to celibacy but to lead a life of prayer and service.

Order of virgins belongs to consecrated life. It is the diocesan bishop who admits, forms and consecrates virgins and to him they give account of their life and service in obedience. They are not however supported financially by their bishop, but they must be able  to provide for their own upkeep. These women may work in any professions open to  women. Some, however, lead lives of contemplation as hermits.

Consecrated virginity is one of the forms of  consecrated life for women which involves a deep spiritual bond with the local Church. Unlike a religious sister, who in some sense must “leave” her diocese in order to join her community, a consecrated virgin continues to be fully a part of her local Church, and she lives out her consecrated life directly under the authority of her bishop. Thus, consecrated virgins are called to dedicate their lives to prayer for, and service to, their home diocese.

CONSECRATION

Although consecrated virgins and women religious are similar in the sense that the Church regards them both as publically consecrated persons, receiving the rite of consecration as virgin is different from professing religious vows. While religious vows are essentially promises that an individual actively makes to God, consecration to a life of virginity is a solemn blessing which a woman passively receives from God through the ministry of the bishop. This is somewhat similar to the way in which a bishop consecrates a Church building setting it aside for a sacred purpose. Because of this, consecration itself is permanent and can never be dispensed.  It  is a sacramental which may be bestowed on nuns or women living in the world. Nuns who have received this consecration are still referred to as nuns and not consecrated virgins, and so consecrated virgin almost always describes a consecrated woman living in the world.

- Rev. Fr. Anthony Anjoku

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