Monastic Nomenclature
The inscriptions in the mosaic pavements of the Mt. Nebo monasteries offer insight into how these monastic communities were organized. An inscription from the Monastery of the Theotokos at ‘Ayn al-Kanisah refers to “Abraham, the abbot and archimandrite of the whole desert.” The term archimandrite designates the abbot of the chief monastery who was responsible for all the monks in the region. Thus, in the late sixth century, Abraham was the abbot of the Monastery at Mt. Nebo and archimandrite for all the monasteries of the region.
Each monastery would have been led by an hēgoumenos (abbot). The term abba (father) is also used on occasion in reference to the leader of a monastic community, such as an abbot. It could, however, also refer respectfully to an elderly member of a monastic community. This title is likely a Greek version of the Semitic title abouna.
At Mt. Nebo, most of the abbots also have the title presbyteros (priest), suggesting that these individuals had been ordained before entering the monastery. It was rare for a monk to be appointed to the priesthood after joining the community. Each monastery usually had one priest—in some instances also the abbot—who was assisted by diakonoi (deacons).
Deacons were appointed to a specific community by the episkopos (bishop). This position often allowed those who held it to advance to higher offices within the church. Deacons fulfilled a number of different duties during the services held in their parish, from managing the people who entered the building to reading the Gospels during the celebration. Deacons were also called upon to visit members of the community too ill to attend services. It is clear from the importance granted the office of deacon that their presence would have been necessary at a place like Mt. Nebo. They would have helped control the large groups of visiting pilgrims and minister to ailing members of the monastic community.
An abbot usually had an oikonomos (steward) to assist with administrative and financial matters. The steward purchased food and other items, such as beasts of burden, for the monastery. He managed the work schedule, assigning various tasks to the members of the community. The steward was also responsible for the transfer of a monk’s possessions to the service building after his death. Monks were appointed to this post for a limited period of time, and those who succeeded in their tasks were usually considered for the position of abbot.
Bishops could appoint a paramonarios (warden) to a remote parish. These monks or clerics served as church guardians and were charged with the daily upkeep of the building. The duties of the warden required him to live in or near the church.
Both monakos (solitary or alone) and monazōn (someone who lives alone) refer to individual monks from the Nebo communities, highlighting the isolated nature of a monk’s life. An inscription in the Monastery of the Theotokos mentions an enkleistos (recluse) named George, a monk who had taken a vow of seclusion and remained confined to his cell from the time he entered the monastery until his death.