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What makes a priest become a Hegumen?

Anthonypk7Anthonypk7
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
What makes a priest become a Hegumen? Age ?

Comments

  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=✞Je Nai Nan✞ link=topic=12509.msg146719#msg146719 date=1319675497]
    What makes a priest become a Hegumen? Age ?

    i don't think there is a specific age. i was told that most of the time, the elder priest of a church that has more than one priest becomes a hegumen.
  • andrew8345andrew8345
    What about in churches where there are more than one hegumens? . . .
  • marmar357marmar357
    What's a Hugemen?
  • pp
    The hegumen, also known as protopriest is the elder priest of a specific church. It is based off of how long the priest has served in the specific church rather than age. If a hegumen is moved to a different church, he maintains the title of his rank, but the powers are given to the elder priest.
  • TITLTITL
    I heard that in Holmdel they were going to make Abouna Abe Hegumen, but that confused me cause isn't Abouna Abraam a Hegumen? Can a church have more than one?
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    TITL....when time passes, yes. I think most priest get the blessing after 15 yrs of service as a priest.
  • TITLTITL
    But Abouna Abe hasn't been a priest for 5 years...
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    It has nothing to do with age or years of service.  15 years is not a benchmark.

    As an example:  The reposed and blessed Very Rev Fr. & Dr. Gabriel Abdelsayed was elevated to Hegumen after being a presbyter for only five months.

    There are a lot of intangibles that go into the decision of a bishop to elevate a priest to that rank.  I will add, many are not privy to the laity.

    Bp David has specifically stated, several times, that priests should be addressed by their proper names and not nicknames.  I believe that he made it a point relative to Fr. Ibrahim (Abraham) of St. Mina in Holmdel, NJ.
  • TITLTITL
    Sorry :(
  • elsi70x7elsi70x7
    [quote author=+Marmar+ link=topic=12509.msg146736#msg146736 date=1319702587]
    What's a Hugemen?


    Also, I was told that a Hegumen has the authority to establish a Church.
  • CopticdeaconCopticdeacon
    TITL the Abouna Abraam that you are talking about that is already a Hegumen serves in St. Mark Jersey City
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    TITL is referring to two priests that are serving at St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Holmdel, NJ.  She is not referring to Fr. Abraam Sleman of the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark in Jersey City.

    There are a good number of priests in the Northeast with the name "Abraham" in its different versions:  Abraam, Abraham, Ibrahim, etc.
  • TITLTITL
    I want to apologize again for giving a nickname to a priest. I honestly didn't know his name was "Abraham", I thought it was "Abraheem", but I've only heard people calling him "Abe".

    Thanks for pointing it out, ILSM.
  • Anthonypk7Anthonypk7
    [quote author=elsi70x7 link=topic=12509.msg146755#msg146755 date=1319731736]
    [quote author=+Marmar+ link=topic=12509.msg146736#msg146736 date=1319702587]
    What's a Hugemen?


    Also, I was told that a Hegumen has the authority to establish a Church.


    I dont think that's necessarily true. We have a priest here who was just ordained on a church he is still establishing...
  • CopticdeaconCopticdeacon
    ilovesaintmark thanks for the clarification! lol yea you're right there are a lot in the northeast in CT we have Abouna Abraham
  • elsi70x7elsi70x7
    [quote author=✞Je Nai Nan✞ link=topic=12509.msg146767#msg146767 date=1319754074]
    [quote author=elsi70x7 link=topic=12509.msg146755#msg146755 date=1319731736]
    [quote author=+Marmar+ link=topic=12509.msg146736#msg146736 date=1319702587]
    What's a Hugemen?


    Also, I was told that a Hegumen has the authority to establish a Church.


    I dont think that's necessarily true. We have a priest here who was just ordained on a church he is still establishing...


    I'm not certain, but I do not think all Hegumen are Priests. He was probably a Hegumen before he was ordained a Priest.
  • CopticdeaconCopticdeacon
    [quote author=elsi70x7 link=topic=12509.msg146780#msg146780 date=1319816126]
    [quote author=✞Je Nai Nan✞ link=topic=12509.msg146767#msg146767 date=1319754074]
    [quote author=elsi70x7 link=topic=12509.msg146755#msg146755 date=1319731736]
    [quote author=+Marmar+ link=topic=12509.msg146736#msg146736 date=1319702587]
    What's a Hugemen?


    Also, I was told that a Hegumen has the authority to establish a Church.


    I dont think that's necessarily true. We have a priest here who was just ordained on a church he is still establishing...


    I'm not certain, but I do not think all Hegumen are Priests. He was probably a Hegumen before he was ordained a Priest.


    Anyone correct me if I'm wrong but Hegumens have to be priests. Hegumen also means protopriest so they should already have priesthood orders.

    Hegomen is only a promotional rank from a priest to a hegomen, within the rank of priesthood, and is not considered as a new ordination.

    --From.. http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/thecopticchurch/sacraments/7_priesthood.html

    Apparently according to that site there is a 3rd rank with in priesthood which is called khoori-episcopos which is in between a hegumen and bishop before the Nicene Council people who were married were allowed but it is said that this rank is now more for monks
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    Chore-episcopos under the papacy of Pope Shenouda III, has been phased out.  There no clergy with that rank in the Coptic Orthodox Church at present.

    The Syrian Orthodox Church (Jacobite) still utilize that rank.
  • andrew8345andrew8345
    [quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=12509.msg146984#msg146984 date=1320263479]
    Chore-episcopos under the papacy of Pope Shenouda III, has been phased out.  There no clergy with that rank in the Coptic Orthodox Church at present.

    The Syrian Orthodox Church (Jacobite) still utilize that rank.


    I thought the chor-episcopos phased out much earlier than that?
  • TITLTITL
    Are you questioning ILSM!?

    Andrew, Andrew....
  • andrew8345andrew8345
    [quote author=TITL link=topic=12509.msg147036#msg147036 date=1320323658]
    Are you questioning ILSM!?

    Andrew, Andrew....


    Yes.

    According to the article:

    The rank of Khoori-episcopos disappeared from our Coptic church a long time ago, and was then revived by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III when he ordained some monks to the rank of Khoori-Episcopos to become assistants to some metropolitans and bishops who required them to care for the needs of the service in their large dioceses. His Holiness promoted most of them later on, to general bishops and bishops of dioceses.

    (emphasis mine)

    I was not mistaken that this rank disappeared centuries ago. What I was unaware of was the fact that HH Pope Shenouda III revived the rank but then promoted them all to bishops.
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    During the papacy of Anba Yusab (20th century), there were Chore-episcopi(oi).
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    I believe there is one khori episkobos still in Alexandria. Last I checked was maybe 2 yrs ago. 
  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    I was right:
    http://www.theholysynod.copticpope.org/m026.htm
  • andrew8345andrew8345
    [quote author=minatasgeel link=topic=12509.msg147080#msg147080 date=1320378820]
    I was right:
    http://www.theholysynod.copticpope.org/m026.htm


    Good researching, Mina!
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