abbot
Chief among monks
An abbot is the head of a monastery, the male superior of a community of monks.
The title carries religious authority over the monastery's affairs and spiritual life.
The abbot blessed the new novices.
The female equivalent is abbess.
Covered monastic walkway
- refectoryInstitutional dining room
- scriptoriumMonastery manuscript workshop
- chapterhouseClergy's assembly room
- dormitoryStudent living building
priory · monastery · hermitage · chapel · sanctuary · vestry · novitiate · enclosure
Address to deity
- meditationFocused attention practice
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
sermon · blessing · counsel · guidance · piety · holiness · sanctity · faith
Male head of family
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- archbishopSenior prelate over province
- cardinalOf foremost importance
- popeCatholic Church's supreme leader
prelate · prior · superior · prioress · deacon · priest · vicar · apostolic
Abstaining from intimate relations
- chastityAbstaining from sexual activity
- povertySevere lack of resources
- obedienceCompliance with authority
- consecrationDedicating to sacred purpose
renunciation · asceticism · solemn · perpetual · profession · commitment · fidelity · stability
Cloistered religious devotee
- priorExisting before another
- noviceInexperienced newcomer to field
- brotherMale with shared parents
- oblateSquashed-sphere shape
postulant · friar · hermit · contemplative · neophyte · superior · sacristan · cantor
Legal authority's scope
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
- ruleGoverning principle or standard
command · supervision · direction · management · control · stewardship · discipline · counsel
cloister
Covered monastic walkway
- refectoryInstitutional dining room
- scriptoriumMonastery manuscript workshop
- chapterhouseClergy's assembly room
dormitory · priory · monastery · hermitage · chapel · sanctuary · vestry · novitiate · enclosure · grotto
prayer
Address to deity
- meditationFocused attention practice
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- liturgyFormal worship structure
worship · sermon · blessing · counsel · guidance · piety · holiness · sanctity · faith · sacred
patriarch
Male head of family
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- archbishopSenior prelate over province
- cardinalOf foremost importance
pope · prelate · prior · superior · prioress · deacon · priest · vicar · apostolic · mitre
celibacy
Abstaining from intimate relations
- chastityAbstaining from sexual activity
- povertySevere lack of resources
- obedienceCompliance with authority
consecration · renunciation · asceticism · solemn · perpetual · profession · commitment · fidelity · stability · conversion
monk
Cloistered religious devotee
oblate · postulant · friar · hermit · contemplative · neophyte · superior · sacristan · cantor · almoner
jurisdiction
Legal authority's scope
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
rule · command · supervision · direction · management · control · stewardship · discipline · counsel · appointment
- Catholic rolesfriar, monsignor, confessor, seminarian, exorcist
- church officialsrector, vicar, curate, parson, prior
- ritual officialsofficiant, celebrant, high priest, chief priest, head priest
- ByzantiumByzantine Empire, Constantinople, Hagia Sophia, Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantium
- Tibetan BuddhismBuddha, Tibet, Dalai Lama, lama, lamas
- Buddhist monasticsmonk, nun, novice, lama, monastic
abbotabbess
Female monastic leader
prioress · monk · novice · lay brother · friar
- Downton AbbeyBritish period drama series
- Westminster AbbeyHistoric London royal church
- Abbey RoadLondon recording studio street
- Abbey Road StudiosHistoric London recording facility
- medieval abbeyHistoric monastic religious community
- ruined abbeyDestroyed religious house remains