The article examines the role of female prayer in the Old Testament, focusing on the prayer of Hannah, the mother of Samuel (1 Sam 1‒2), as presented in five homilies by John Chrysostom from the late 4th century. Hannah’s prayer, made in distress due to infertility, in which she asks God for a child, is marked in the Old Testament as an example of deep faith and devotion. In Chrysostom’s interpretation, however, it becomes a theme through which he instructs his audience not only about prayer but also about parenting, married life, and, above all, the role of women. The article explores Chrysostom’s rhetorical strategies in relation to his audience, his nuanced views on the relationship between male and female gender, and his distinctive emphasis on the doctrine of prayer. Special attention is given to Chrysostom’s provocative use of the term ἱέρεια (priestess), with which the Antiochian orator refers to Hannah, who offered her son Samuel. Chrysostom’s discourse on Hannah often revolves around gender equality, emphasizing that women, too, can achieve the highest virtues and become role models of prayer
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