Protos (monastic office)
Encyclopedia
The protos is a monastic office at the Eastern Orthodox monastic
state of Mount Athos
in Greece
.
who is elected among the members of the Iera Epistasia ("Holy Administration") which functions as the executive committee of the Iera Koinotita ("Holy Community") — the governing body of Athos composed of representatives from each of the Athonite monasteries — to be the head of the Athonite monastic community. He wields certain ecclesiastical powers, takes part in patriarch
al synod
s, and has the right to confirm and dismiss abbots, with the approval of the Patriarch of Constantinople
, under whose jurisdiction Mount Athos functions as an autonomous monastic republic. In the past, the protos seems to have been given authority to ordain
(cheirotonia) priest
s, but currently ordinations on Mount Athos are performed by the Archbishop of Thessaloniki.
The earliest historical documentation of the office of protos is from 908. The first typikon
of Mount Athos (the book containing monastic rules and regulations), published by the emperor John Tzimiskes in 972, recognised the first authority over Mount Athos which was elected by the monasteries. During the centuries that followed, the institution of the protos would at times flourish and at other times decline.
In the beginning of the nineteenth century the typikon of 1810 was published, which assigned the protos along with four overseers and with a holy synod
composed of representatives from the twenty sovereign monasteries which make up the Mount Athos community.
The seat of the protos has been in Karyes
since 911, and the primary church for the Athonite administration is called the Protaton.
Monasticism
Monasticism is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work...
state of Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Authority
The office is assumed by a monkMonk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
who is elected among the members of the Iera Epistasia ("Holy Administration") which functions as the executive committee of the Iera Koinotita ("Holy Community") — the governing body of Athos composed of representatives from each of the Athonite monasteries — to be the head of the Athonite monastic community. He wields certain ecclesiastical powers, takes part in patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
al synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
s, and has the right to confirm and dismiss abbots, with the approval of the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
, under whose jurisdiction Mount Athos functions as an autonomous monastic republic. In the past, the protos seems to have been given authority to ordain
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
(cheirotonia) priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s, but currently ordinations on Mount Athos are performed by the Archbishop of Thessaloniki.
The earliest historical documentation of the office of protos is from 908. The first typikon
Typikon
The Typikon, or Typicon; plural Typika is a liturgical book which contains instructions about the order of the various Eastern Orthodox Christian church services and ceremonies, in the form of a perpetual calendar...
of Mount Athos (the book containing monastic rules and regulations), published by the emperor John Tzimiskes in 972, recognised the first authority over Mount Athos which was elected by the monasteries. During the centuries that followed, the institution of the protos would at times flourish and at other times decline.
In the beginning of the nineteenth century the typikon of 1810 was published, which assigned the protos along with four overseers and with a holy synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
composed of representatives from the twenty sovereign monasteries which make up the Mount Athos community.
The seat of the protos has been in Karyes
Karyes (Athos)
Karyes is a settlement in Mount Athos. It is the seat of the clerical and secular administration of the Athonite monastic state. The 2001 Greek census reported a population of 233 inhabitants...
since 911, and the primary church for the Athonite administration is called the Protaton.
List of protoi
- John Tarchaneiotes, early 12th century
- Niphon, -1347
- Anthony, 1348
- Short-term Serbian protos
- Dorotheus, 1356-1366