At the time when deaconesses’ houses were founded in Latvian territory in Riga and Jelgava, Europe had already gained 30 years’ experience in this direction. Moreover this was intensely reflected theologically in these institutions. The Lutheran Church in Latvia did not fully value this experience; however in the second half of the 19th century the establishment of deaconesses’ houses found willing ears. What were deaconesses in the 19th century and what was the structure of the deaconesses’ houses?
Read more in “Deaconesses and deaconesses’ houses in Latvia in the 19th century”,
M. Zeiferts, M.A. Theol., Fragments from the Master’s Thesis
Faculty of Theology, University of Latvia
“ The influence of Western European ideas and practices
on Lutheranism on inner mission and diaconia in Latvian territory
during the 19th and beginning of the 20th century”
Marcis Zeiferts, M.A. Theol., 2008