Archimandrite, MR

The Archimandrite

• Sovereignty over the Serene Monastic Republic of the Holy Mounntain is vested in the duly appointed Archimandrite.
• The Archimandrite is the Head of State and the Head of Government.
• As head of state and government, the Archimandrite possesses the executive power of the Republic and must answer to the Holy Synod who possess the legislative power.
• The Archimandrite is the Chairman of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of the Holy Mountain.
• As Bishop of the Orthodox Church of the Holy Mountain, the Archimandrite governs as an autocrat to whom the Holy Synod act merely as advisors.
• The Archimandrite is appointed for a term of five years from the twelve Orthodox hegumens in a rotation determined by the order of precedence of the monasteries.
• Upon appointment the Archimandrite is sworn in at the Divine Liturgy in the presence of the other nineteen Hegumens and Abbots. At this Divine Liturgy he is consecrated bishop by his predecessor.
• The oath is administered to the new Archimandrite by the previous Archimandrite and witnessed by the signatures of the nineteen Hegumens and Abbots.
• Should the office of Archimandrite become vacant before the end of the term, the Hegumen next in the order of precedence is sworn in and begins his five-year term.

Order of Precedence

according to the Fourth Typikon, as amended:

ineligible to provide the archimandrite

1. St. Athanasios
2. Annunciation
3. St. John the Baptist
4. Holy Cross
5. Transfiguration
6. Holy Archangels
7. Sts. Peter and Paul
8. St. Philotheus
9. Presentation of Jesus
10. St. George
11. Theophany
12. Ascension
13. Forty Martyrs of Sebaste - Armenian
14. St. George the Painter - Bulgarian
15. St. John the Iberian - Georgian
16. St. Sava - Serbian
17. St. Panteleimon - Russian
18. St. Nicholas - Cambrian
19. St. Maroun - Maronite
20. St. Thomas - Assyrian

List of Archimandrites

1. 1870 - Demetrius of St. Athanasios
2. 1875 - Paul of Annunciation
3. 1880 - John I of St. John the Baptist
4. 1885 - Stephen of Holy Cross
5. 1890 - Basil of Transfiguration (first bishop)
6. 1895 - Andrew of Holy Archangels
7. 1900 - Alexander of Sts. Peter and Paul (dies of pneumonia 1902)
8. 1902 - John II of St. Philotheus
9. 1907 - Manuel of Presentation
10. 1912 - Joseph of St. George
11. 1917 - Gregory of Theophany
12. 1922 - Isidore of Ascension
13. 1927 - Matthew of St. Athanasios
14. 1932 - Jeremias of Annunciation
15. 1937 - Metrophanes of St. John the Baptist
16. 1942 - Cosmas I of Holy Cross
17. 1947 - Cosmas II of Transfiguration
18. 1952 - Gabriel of Holy Archangels
19. 1957 - Methodius of Sts. Peter and Paul (killed in a fall 1961)
20. 1961 - Maximus of St. Philotheus
21. 1966 - Theophanes of Presentation of Jesus
22. 1971 - Simeon of St. George
23. 1976 - George of St. Theophany
24. 1981 - Zosimus of Ascension
25. 1986 - Ephrem of St. Athanasios
26. 1991 - Gregory of Annunciation
27. 1996 - Basil of St. John the Baptist (resigns in 2000 due to illness)
28. 2000 - Theodore of Holy Cross
29. 2005 - Nicephorus of Transfiguration
30. 2010 - Loukas of Holy Archangels
31. 2015 - Ignatius of Sts. Peter and Paul