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What a procession shall that be, what joy of applauding angels when she is found worthy of dwelling in heaven who lived on earth a heavenly life!
Then too Mary, taking her timbrel, shall stir up the choir of virgins, singing to the Lord because
they have passed through the sea of this world without suffering from the waves of this world.
Then each shall rejoice, saying, “I will go to the altar of God; to God Who makes my youth glad;
and I will offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay my vows unto the Most High.”
St. Ambrose

The word “consecrated” means separated from common use to sacred use; by which a person or a thing is dedicated to the service and worship of God by prayers, rites, and ceremonies. 

The process of consecration consists of separation, purification, and offering. Separation means to leave behind the world and all its pleasures, and anything that distracts one from the love of God. Purification refers to inner purification and holiness. Offering refers to the offering of one’s life to God, in humble thanksgiving and as a sacrifice of love. In the same way that God manifested His love to us by offering His Only Begotten Son on the Cross, our love to Him is manifested by offering our lives completely to Him.

There are 4 stages a Consecrated Sister may go through:

Novice
Consecrated Sister
Subdeaconess
Deaconess

When it is time for the novice to become consecrated, the Rite of Consecration of the Consecrated Women is prayed over her. The consecration, which is done by the bishop, is performed without the laying on of hands, which is different from priestly ordinations. The prayers for consecrated sisters do not take place after the Reconciliation Prayer, but after the morning Raising of Incense. In the Southern Diocese, the novice is differentiated from the consecrated sister by a different-colored garment; novices are dressed in light gray and consecrated sisters are dressed in dark gray. 

The consecrated sister may be promoted to subdeaconess after at least five years from the date of the Rite of her consecration. Her good manners, obedience, dedication, service, and experience are considered with the extent of the efficiency of her work and readiness for the completion of the way of consecration. If her promotion to subdeaconess is approved, the appropriate Rite is performed for her. 

The subdeaconess may be promoted to deaconess after five years of her consecration as subdeaconess. This promotion is done according to her good manners, obedience, dedication, experience in service, the efficiency of her work, etc. 

Excerpt from the Rite of Consecration

Bishop: O Lord, who is wise in His counsel and created mankind in His image and likeness – He created males and females in His image and likeness, and granted them blessing; we ask You, O Lord, to hear us and have mercy on us. 

People: Lord have mercy.

Bishop: O Lord, who granted the gift of prophecy to Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, and to Deborah, Huldah, and Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, and allowed Philip the evangelist to have virgin daughters who prophesy; we ask You, O Lord, to hear us and have mercy on us. 

People: Lord have mercy.

Bishop: O You who poured out Your Holy Spirit on men and women alike, and gave them the gifts of the Spirit; we ask You, O Lord, to hear us and have mercy on us.

People: Lord have mercy.

Bishop: O Lord, who decided to send Mary Magdalene to inform Your holy Apostles of Your glorious Resurrection, and allowed Phoebe to become a deaconess in Your holy Church. As You allowed it in the past, O Lord, allow this woman (these women) who is (are) standing before You, today, to participate in Your service, and make us worthy to fulfill this service without falling into condemnation before You, and pour out the grace of Your Holy Spirit upon her (them)…

Bishop: O Lord, God, who does not reject the women who present themselves to serve with good intention as it is according to the divine will, but You have decided to call them Your servants. Grant Your maidservant(s) the grace of the Holy Spirit, she who desires to present herself to You and fulfill Your service, as You have granted the grace of this service to Your servant Phoebe, whom You have called to do works in Your Church – she became a helper to Your servant Paul the Apostle. Pour out Your gifts on her…

Bishop: O eternal Lord, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, look now to Your maidservant who is called for the service of consecration. Give her the grace of the Holy Spirit and purify her from every defilement of body and spirit that she may be worthy to fulfill the work that You have pledged to her.
Glory and worship are due to You with Your Only Begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

People: Lord have mercy (3)

Bishop: O Lord, God, the Holy and Almighty, who sanctified women by the birth of Your only Son from the Virgin St. Mary; we ask You, O Lord, to hear us and have mercy on us.
O You who granted the grace of the Holy Spirit, not only to men but to women also. Now, O Lord, look to Your maidservan; call her to service and pour out the gift of Your Holy Spirit upon her. Keep her in the Orthodox Faith to fulfill Your service continually, without blame, according to Your will. For Yours is the glory, the honor, and the worship, O Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.