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Glite Dictionary
hegumen

hegumen

9.9
A priest who leads a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox or Eastern Catholic churches
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : hegúmeno
  • Under the guidance of the new hegumen, the monastery began to flourish both spiritually and financially.

Examples

  • The hegumen of the monastery led the morning prayers with great reverence.

  • The selected archbishop, Gurii, was a former hegumen of the Iosifo-Volokolamskii Monastery, one of the most important institutions in Muscovy, and, not coincidentally, one with a long association with Moscow's Grand Princes.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Hegumen Philip (Riabykh) (Russian Orthodox) has been, since March 2011, the representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to the Council of Europe and also rector of the All Saints parish in Strasbourg, France.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Every Sunday, the hegumen greeted the congregation and delivered a thoughtful sermon.

Synonyms

abbot
vshegumen
17 9.0

A monk who leads other monks in a monastery

is the same leader type but specifically in Eastern Orthodox or Eastern Catholic churches
prior
vshegumen
14 9.3

A monk who leads a monastery under the abbot

is the top monastery leader rather than a deputy under a superior
archimandrite
vshegumen
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A senior priest who leads a large monastery or several monasteries in the Eastern Orthodox Church

is head of a single monastery rather than of several monasteries

Surface Forms

hegumen singular
hegumens plural

Etymology

Hegumen comes from the Greek word hēgoumenos, which means 'leader' or 'one who leads'. The same root is in hegemony ('leadership' or 'control'), so a hegumen is the head or leader of a monastery.