ARCHIMANDRITA (ἀρχιμανθρίτης, etymologically head of the μάνθρα, “sheepfold”). — Title of the superior of a monastery in the Eastern Church from the 4th century. In the 6th century it came to be reserved for the provost of a federation of monasteries and became synonymous with “exarch” and “protos.” In more recent times a distinction is made between the effective a., superior of a generally important monastery, and the titular one, a dignity conferred honoris causa on monks and also, rather improperly, on secular priests. The a. of the Basilian monastery of S. Maria di Grottaferrata is at the same time an exarch with his own territory (Abbas nullius). The Superior General of the Ruthenian Basilians bears the title of Protoarchimandrite.
Dante (Paradiso, XI, 99) calls s. Francesco an archimandrite.