Ruth Vermehren

Ruth Vermehren (1894–1983) was a Danish Lutheran priest, one of the first three women to become priests of the Church of Denmark. An active member of the Danish Women's Society, she was frequently invited to preach at the organization's events. As a result of legislation introduced by the Church Minister Carl Hermansen in 1947, the following year, together with Johanne Andersen and Edith Brenneche Petersen, she was ordained by Bishop Hans Øllgaard in Odense Cathedral. Denmark thus became the first country in the world to have women priests. Vermehren then served as a priest in Copenhagen's Women's Prison until she retired in 1964.

Biography Born on 27 October 1894 in Copenhagen, Ruth Vermehren was the daughter of the painter Gustav Vermehren (1863–1931) and Louise Borchsenius (1862–1954). She was brought up in a cultural environment. Her father was an artist and her grandfather was the celebrated portrait painter Frederik Vermehren. From an early age, she was interested in religion, deciding to become a priest when she was preparing to be confirmed. After matriculating form N. Zahle's School in 1914, she began to study theology but soon had to abandon her studies for lack of funds. After working for a time as a secretary in Denmark's Christian Association (Danmarks Kristelige Studenterforbund), she returned to her studies in 1923, qualifying in 1927.