Diakonissen

Diakonissen and Diaconal Sisters

Diakonissen live in a community of faith, life and service to fulfil their diaconal mission in the Frankfurter Diakonissenhaus. They are unmarried and have placed their lives entirely at the service of the church and Diakonie.

The diaconal sisters do not always live unmarried and are closely united in their diaconal mission and in their spiritual life with the Diakonissen closely in their diaconal mission and spiritual life. They support the Frankfurt Diakonissenhaus through voluntary work and prayer.

Regular information is available in the motherhouse bulletin.

Brief history of Diakonissen in Frankfurt

in 1861, five women, four pastors and one lawyer from the Lutheran, French Reformed and German Reformed congregations founded the Diakonissenverein in Frankfurt am Main with the aim of founding a Diakonissenhouse. The first Diakonissen came to Frankfurt am Main from Karlsruhe to nurse the sick and care for the poor. Since 1870, when the first matron was inducted, the Frankfurt Diakonissenhaus has had its own sisterhood of Diakonissen. This is in the tradition of Theodor Fliedner, the founder of the Diakonissen movement in 1836 in Düsseldorf-Kaiserswerth.

You can find more detailed information under the menu item "History" and the sub-pages on this.

In the world you are afraid. But be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.

With this Bible passage from John 16:33, Diakonisse Hanna Lachenmann would like to offer you words of comfort and encouragement:

The coronavirus is conquering the whole world, not just geographically, but also in the world in which people live: the economy, politics, culture, the healthcare system, coexistence and families. And it brings with it a mental virus: fear: fear for our own lives and those of people who belong to us; fear for our economic existence, fear of an uncertain, threatening future. Fear - an infectious disease....

Full report as PDF