An excerpt from Carolyn Osiek’s edited source book on ordained women in the early church

So what did deaconesses do? The role of the female deacon as a special ministry to women is briefly described in the Didascalia and in more detail in the Apostolic Constitutions dependent on it: assistance at the baptism of women, including anointing of the body of the female baptizand, pastoral visits and religious instruction with women, welcoming and maintaining order among women at the assembly, and travel and authorized representation of the church. They were the liaison between women and the bishop and accompanied women who visited him.

Female deacons prepared women for baptism and offered them hospitality during the transitional time before and after (Manaris, Romana). They provided hospitality and protection to socially vulnerable women (unnamed deacon of Caesarea). They were advocates and agents for laywomen in the church (Susanna). They traveled with women pilgrims (Theophila). They embarked on pilgrimages themselves (Severa of Jerusalem). Some were monastic superiors (Eugenia, Jannia, Olympias, Theodula, Valeriana). Some were trusted teachers (unnamed deacon of Theodoret). Others were members of monastic communities but not superiors (Lampadion, Elisanthia, Martyria, and Palladia). Some supervised important centers of pilgrimage (Marthana, Matrona of Cosila). Others lived in their own house (Eusebia). They supervised liturgical roles of women and led them in liturgical prayer (Elisanthia, Martyria, and Palladia).

You can revisit and read about the pilgrims and pilgrimages of Discerning Deacons by visiting any of our blog posts. More specifically: