hieromonk
{{short description|In Eastern Christianity, a monk who is also a priest}}
File:Saint Barlaam of Kyiv Caves.jpg of the Kiev Caves Monastery, wearing his monastic habit and priestly epitrachelion]]
A hieromonk,{{efn|{{langx|el|Ἱερομόναχος|Ieromonachos}}; {{lang-ka|მღვდელმონაზონი|mgvdelmonazoni}}; Slavonic: Иеромонахъ; {{langx|ru|Иеромонах}}; {{langx|sr|јеромонах|jeromonah}}; {{langx|bg|йеромонах|yeromonakh}}; {{langx|ro|Ieromonah}}; Albanian: Hieromurg}} also called a priestmonk,{{Cite web |title=Chronology of Major Events, 1905-2005 |url=https://sttikhonsmonastery.org/history_chronology#:~:text=hieromonk%20(priestmonk) |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Monastery of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk}} is a person who is both monk and priest in the Eastern Christian tradition.{{cite journal |last1=Nichols |first1=Robert |last2=Croskey |first2=Robert |title=The Condition of the Orthodox Church in Russian America: Innokentii Veniaminov's History of the Russian Church in Alaska |journal=The Pacific Northwest Quarterly |date=1972 |volume=63 |issue=2 |pages=41–54 |jstor=40488986 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40488986 |access-date=1 November 2024 |issn=0030-8803}}
A hieromonk can be either a monk who has been ordained to the priesthood or a priest who has received monastic tonsure. When a married priest's wife dies, it is not uncommon for him to become a monk, since the Church forbids clergy to enter into a second marriage after ordination and can be no longer promoted to any higher grade.{{Cite web |title=Celibacy of the Clergy |url=https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/celibacy-of-the-clergy |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Catholic Answers}}
Ordination to the priesthood is the exception rather than the rule for monastics, as a monastery will usually only have as many hieromonks and hierodeacons as it needs to perform the daily services.{{Cite web |title=Statutes for Monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia |url=https://www.wadiocese.org/statutes_for_monasteries |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Western American Diocese}}
In the church hierarchy, a hieromonk is of higher dignity than a hierodeacon, just as a secular (i.e., married) priest is of higher dignity than a deacon. Within their own ranks, hieromonks are assigned order of precedence according to the date of their ordination. Ranking above a hieromonk are a hegumen and an archimandrite.{{Cite web |last=Church |first=Holy New Martyrs Orthodox |title=Glossary of Terms |url=https://www.holynewmartyrs.org/glossary_of_terms |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Orthodox Church of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia}}
Forms of address
The proper title for a hieromonk is, "the Reverend Hieromonk (religious name)". The form of address is, "Hieromonk (name)", "Father Hieromonk (name)", "Father (name)", or, informally, "Father". As with all Eastern Catholic and Orthodox monks, a hieromonk is not addressed by his family name, but only by his religious name.{{Cite web |title=CLERGY ETIQUETTE: Addressing Clergy and Monastics in the Church {{!}} All Saints of North America {{!}} Hamilton Orthodox Church |url=https://www.asna.ca/2020/clergy-etiquette-addressing-clergy-and-monastics-in-the-church#:~:text=If%20they%20are%20hieromonks%20(monks%20who%20are%20also%20priests),%20they%20are%20addressed%20as%20%22The%20Reverend%20Hieromonk.%22 |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=www.asna.ca}}
In writing, if it becomes necessary to use his family name—for instance, to distinguish him from another hieromonk with the same religious name—the family name should be placed in parentheses. Example: "Hieromonk John (Smith)". In cultures where a patronymic is customary, monks are never addressed by their patronymic, but only by their religious name.
In other countries and Western Christianity
In some countries, married clergy are referred to as "white clergy", while monastic clergy are called "black clergy" because monks should always wear black clothing but married clergy in many parts of the world typically wear white (or gray, blue or some other color) cassocks and rasons.{{Cite web |title=Russian Orthodox Clergy {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/russian-orthodox-clergy |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}
In Western Christianity, a priest who is also a monk is termed a "religious priest" or "regular clergy", i.e., living under a monastic rule (Latin: regula).{{Cite web |title=Philip Schaff: History of the Christian Church, Volume II: Ante-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 100-325 - Christian Classics Ethereal Library |url=https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/hcc2.all.html |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=www.ccel.org}}
Notable people
{{incomplete list|date=September 2016}}
- Hieromonk Makarije ({{Floruit}} 1494–1528), Serbian Orthodox, printer
- Hieromonk Pahomije ({{Floruit}} 1496–1544), Serbian Orthodox, printer
- Hieromonk Mardarije ({{Floruit}} 1552–66), Serbian Orthodox, printer
- Mojsije Dečanac ({{Floruit}} 1536–45), Serbian Orthodox, printer
- Hieromonk Neofytos (1876–1967), Greek Orthodox, priest{{Cite web |date=2017-09-20 |title=Hieromonk Neofytos from Vatopedi (1876-3 April 1967) |url=https://pemptousia.com/2017/09/hieromonk-neofytos-from-vatopedi-1876-3-april-1967/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=PEMPTOUSIA |language=en-US}}
- Ilie Cătărău (1888–{{circa}} 1955), Romanian Orthodox, adventurer and spy
- St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco (1896-1966), Russian Orthodox, bishop{{Cite web |last=B |first=Ilya |title=St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco – St. Panteleimon Church |url=https://spro.church/st-john-of-shanghai-and-san-francisco/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |language=en-US}}
- Seraphim Rose (1934–1982), American Russian Orthodox, translator and author
- Hieromonk Nilus (Grigoriev) (b. 1948), Russian Orthodox, pastor and clergymen in Pskov diocese{{Cite web |title=Hieromonk Nilus (Grigoriev). Hieromonk Nilus (Grigoriev): Throughout my life, I am learning to walk in the presence of God |url=https://orthochristian.com/57180.html |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=OrthoChristian.Com}}
- Hieromonk Constantine (Kallistos) (1953–1992), Russian Orthodox, founder of Holy Cross Monastery{{Cite web |title=Fr. Hieromonk Constantine Kallistos (Pazalos) - View Obituary & Service Information |url=https://www.archwaychapel.com/obituaries/Hieromonk-Constantine-Kallistos-Pazalos/#!/Obituary |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Fr. Hieromonk Constantine Kallistos (Pazalos) Obituary |language=en}}
- Hieromonk Alexander (Lisnichuk) (1963–2023), Russian-Ukrainian-American Orthodox, priest{{Cite web |title=Atlanta, GA: Hieromonk Alexander (Lisnichuk) reposed in the Lord |url=https://www.eadiocese.org/news_231228_1 |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=Eastern American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad}}
- Hieromonk Silouan (Brown) (b. 1983), American-Russian Orthodox, priest{{Cite web |title=Hieromonk Silouan (Brown): St. Demetrios Monastery is A Home Where I Can Recharge My Batteries |url=https://orthochristian.com/157191.html |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=OrthoChristian.Com}}
See also
Notes
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