Hegumen, hegumenos, or igumen (Greek: ἡγούμενος; Macedonian, Bulgarian and Russian: игумен, Arabic:القمص, trans. hegumenos; Ukrainian: Ігумен ihumen; Georgian: იღუმენი, iğumeni; Romanian: egumen; Serbian: игуман or iguman) is the title for the head of a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, similar to the title of abbot. The head of a convent of nuns is called a hegumenia or ihumenia (Greek: ἡγουμένη; Serbian: игуманија or igumanija; Russian: игумения). The term means "the one who is in charge", "the leader" in Greek.
Initially the title was applied to the head of any monastery. After 1874, when the Russian monasteries were secularized and classified into three classes, the title of hegumen was reserved only for the lowest, third class. The head of a monastery of the second or first class holds the rank of archimandrite. In the Greek Catholic Church, the head of all monasteries in a certain territory is called the protohegumen.
The duties of both hegumen and archimandrite are the same, archimandrite being considered the senior dignity of the two. In the Russian Orthodox Church the title of Hegumen may be granted as an honorary title to any hieromonk, even one who does not head a monastery.
Kamenné modly nad krajinou ledu
mrazivé stíny v duších mrtvých
krvavé slzy zkrápìjí zem
temní andìlé zažehli hranici.
Kamenné modly nad krajinou ledu
z mrazivých stínù vychází žár,
krvavé slzy - nasáklá zem
temní andìlé utrpení.
Strážci dìsivých temnot
ochránci smrti a zatracených,
temný andìl utrpení
krvavým pláèem zkrápí zem.
Krutá vláda temné smrti
trýznivì ledová, nesmrtelná, nekoneèná.
Temný úsvit zabíjí slunce
temní andìlé na vìèném trùnu,
krvavé slzy z kamených model
ledová smrš zkrápí zem.
Bohové stínù, bouøí a vìtru
vláda temnot nad krajinou ledu,
mrazivé stíny oblehly modly
tìžký led zabarven krví.