Women Restored

Ὡς δὲ ἐπορεύοντο ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὴντησεν αὐταὶς, λέγων· Χαίρετε. Αἱ δὲ προσελθοῦσαι ἐκράτησαν αὐτοῦ τοὺς πόσας καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ. Κεκέρδακε τὸ θῆλυ γένος καὶ λύσιν ὀνειδισμοῦ καὶ κατάρας ἀνατροπήν. Ὁ γὰρ εἰπὼν πάλαι πρὸς αὐτάς· Ἐν λύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα, παῦλαν αὐταῖς  ἔδωκε συναντήσας αὐταῖς ἐν τῷ κήπῳ, καὶ εἰπών· Χαίρετε. Μεθ' ὑπερβαλλούσης εὐφροσύνης αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῷ προσδραμοῦσαι ἐλάμβανον, καὶ διὰ τῆς ᾱφῆς, τεκμήριον καὶ πληροφορίαν τῆς ἀναστάσεως, καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ. Τί οὖν αὐτός; Μὴ φοβεῖσθε· πάλιν καὶ αὐτὸς τὸ δέος ἐκβάλλει προοδοποιῶν τῇ πίστει, καὶ διὰ τῶν γυναικῶν τοὺς μαθητὰς εὐαγγελίζεται· ὃ πολλάκις εἶπον, τὸ μάλιστα γένος ἀτιμωθὲν εἰς τιμὴν ἄγων, καὶ χρηστὰς ἐλπίδας, καὶ τὸ πεπονηκὸς ἰώμενος. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Migne PG 72. 469

And as the women went off to tell His disciples, behold Jesus met them saying, 'Hail.' And falling at His feet and touching them, they adored Him. 1 The class of women here acquire release from opprobrium and an overturning of the curse. When it was once said to them, 'In grief you shall bear children,' 2 now He gives rest to them by a meeting in the garden, saying 'Hail'. With great joy the women in meeting Him receive the proof and certitude, even through touch, of the resurrection, and they adore him. And what then from Him? He says, 'Do not fear.' Again He casts out fear from the way of faith, and through the women he announces it to the disciples. How often I have said that to this sex lacking honour He affixes the greatest honour and favours with hope, that what He wrought He heal. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 28.9 2 Gen 3.16