text: To the best of my knowledge, the INCONTROVERTIBLE evidence 1LittleBear asserts for bishops and priests has not yet surfaced, but such evidence. IMHO, does exists for women deacons. The crucial question is whether women deacons were in minor orders or major orders (in Roman terms) or whether they received cheirotonia or cheirotessia (in Byzantine terms). 
  
  Although you are right, the evidence is that women deacons had different ministries than male deacons, for those that understand Byzantine theology and liturgy, two facts cinch the major order status of women deacon in the 8th century (id est, while the East and West were still one undivided Church): (1) hands were laid on women deacons behind the iconostasis, exactly as with male deacons, priests, and bishops [minor order cheirothessia took place in front of the iconostasis], and (2) the epiclesis prayer said while laying hands on women deacons is structurally and essentially the same as the prayers ordaining male deacons.