The ''protos'' ( el, πρώτος, "first, premier") is a monastic office at the Eastern Orthodox monastic community of Mount Athos in Greece. The office headquarters are located in

Karyes, Mount Athos Karyes ( el, Καρυές) is a settlement in Mount Athos of the Athonite monastic community. The 2011 Greek census reported a population of 163 inhabitants. It is the largest settlement in Mount Athos. The major church at Karyes is the '' Prota ...

Authority

The office is assumed by a monk who is elected among the members of the ''Iera Epistasia'' ("Holy Administration" or "Holy Executive Committee") which functions as the executive committee of the ''Iera Koinotita'' ("Holy Community") — the governing body of the monastic community of Mount Athos, composed of representatives from each of the Athonite monasteries — to be the head of the Athonite monastic community. The Protos is also known as the ''Protos Hesychastes'', or the "First Hesychast."

History

Since the founding of the Karyes

Protaton The Protaton ( el, Πρωτάτο), also known as the Dormition of the Theotokos Church ( el, Ναός Κοίμησης της Θεοτόκου), is the main church of Karyes, Mount Athos. It also serves as the ecclesiastical seat of the Protos, ...

in the tenth century until 1312, the Protos was directly appointed by the

Byzantine Emperor This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, to its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as le ...

after being elected by the '' hegumenoi'' of Mount Athos. However, in November 1312,

Andronikos II Palaiologos , image = Andronikos II Palaiologos2.jpg , caption = Miniature from the manuscript of George Pachymeres' ''Historia'' , succession = Byzantine emperor , reign = 11 December 1282 –24 May 1328 , coronation = 8 Novembe ...

issued a

chrysobull A golden bull or chrysobull was a decree issued by Byzantine Emperors and later by monarchs in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, most notably by the Holy Roman Emperors. The term was originally coined for the golden seal (a '' bul ...

requiring the Protos to be appointed by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople rather than by the Emperor. The third typikon of Mount Athos, issued in 1400 and signed by Manuel II Palaiologos, also reaffirmed this requirement while also restoring various rights and powers of the Protos.

List of ''protoi''

Christodoulos of Patmos Christodoulos () is a Greek given name. It is a theophoric name which means "servant of Christ". It can refer to: * Christodoulos (Greek patriarch of Alexandria), r. 907–932 * Pope Christodoulos of Alexandria, Coptic patriarch in 1047–1077 * ...

, after 1093 *

Hilarion Hilarion the Great (291–371) was an anchorite who spent most of his life in the desert according to the example of Anthony the Great (c. 251–356). While St Anthony is considered to have established Christian monasticism in the Egyptian de ...

*John Tarchaneiotes, ca. 1107 *

John Chortaitinos John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

,Angold (2000), p. 591 fl. 1253 *

Niphon Kausokalybites Niphon of Kafsokalyvia or Niphon Kausokalybites ( el, Όσιος Νήφων Καυσοκαλυβίτης, 1316–1411) was a Greek Christian Orthodox saint and monk. He is celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox Church on June 14.Great Synaxaristes: � ...

, 1345-1347Fine (1994), p. 312 *

Anthony Anthony or Antony is a masculine given name, derived from the '' Antonii'', a ''gens'' ( Roman family name) to which Mark Antony (''Marcus Antonius'') belonged. According to Plutarch, the Antonii gens were Heracleidae, being descendants of Anton, ...

, 1348 (Serbian) *

Dorotheus of Hilandar Dorotej or Dorotheus ( sr-cyr, Доротеј) was a Serbian Orthodox abbot of Hilandar and the ''protos'' of Mount Athos from 1356 until 1366. He is noted for writing a charter for the monastery of Drenča in 1382. Life Drenča The village of Dr ...

, 1356-1366 (Serbian)

References

Sources

* * *Michael Angold (2000), ''Church and society in Byzantium under the Comneni, 1081-1261''

External links

Protaton of Mount Athos
Ecclesiastical titles Eastern Orthodox monks Mount Athos {{Orthodoxy-stub