Archimandrite
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (November 2017) |
The title archimandrite (
In the
History
The term derives from the Greek: the first element from ἀρχι- archi- meaning "highest" or from archon "ruler"; and the second root from μάνδρα mandra meaning "enclosure" or "corral", "pen" and denoting a "monastery" (compare the usage of "flock" for "congregation").
The title has been in common use since the 5th century, but is mentioned for the first time in a letter to
When the supervision of monasteries passed to another episcopal official—the Great
Byzantine usage
The Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches commonly select their bishops from the ranks of the archimandrites.
As abbots, the duties of both a hegumen and an archimandrite are the same; however, during the
Kiev Metropolis
Initially, in some cases it served as an extra title: for example, manuscripts of 1174 mention
Russian usage
In 1764, the Russian Orthodox Church organized its monasteries and ranked them in one of three classes, awarding only the abbots at the head of monasteries of the second or first class the title of archimandrite. Abbots of third class monasteries were to be styled "hegumen".
In the Russian tradition, an archimandrite wears a mitre.
Greek usage
Churches under the spiritual jurisdiction of the four ancient Eastern Orthodox Patriarchates generally require that such a monastic priest possess a university degree in theology before he is elevated to the rank of archimandrite. Sometimes, the requirement is waived if the priest can show outstanding achievement in other academic fields, such as the humanities or science.
Western usage
An archimandrite who does not function as an abbot has the style "The Very Reverend Archimandrite" whilst one with abbatial duties uses the style "The Right Reverend Archimandrite".
The word occurs in the Regula Columbani (c. 7), and du Cange gives a few other cases of its use in Latin documents, but it never came into vogue in the West; yet, owing to intercourse with Greek and Slavonic Christianity, the title sometimes appears in southern Italy and Sicily, and in Croatia, Hungary and Poland.[1] From 1979, there is at least one exemplar in Britain.[2]
References
- ^ a b One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Archimandrite". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 368.
- ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: . Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary (in Russian). 1906.
- Dictionnaire d'archéologie chrétienne et de liturgie (in French)
Further reading
- Plank, Peter (1999), "Archimandrite", in Fahlbusch, Erwin (ed.), Encyclopedia of Christianity, vol. 1, Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, pp. 118, ISBN 0802824137
External links
The dictionary definition of archimandrite at Wiktionary
| Authority control databases: National |
|---|
