Stavropegial

Astavropegial(also spelledstavropigialorstavropighial) institution, usually a monastery, is one which falls directly under theomophorionof theprimateof a church rather than under the localdiocesanbishop.

The Greek term σταυροπηγιον literally means "fixture of a cross," and referred to crosses used to mark boundary points. In the liturgical context, a stavropegion was a cross fixed by the bishop on the side of a newchurch.The term came to be employed mainly to refer tomonasterieswhich owed canonical allegiance to thePatriarch of Constantinople.

In a number of Byzantine documents from the 10th to 14th centuries, the termstavropegialwas used roughly synonymously withpatriarchalwhen referring to monastic communities of this sort, though in some cases, the two terms were distinguished, withstavropegialreferring only to those monasteries which had actually been founded by the patriarch.

Stavropegial monasteries in the Byzantine period acknowledged the authority of thepatriarchas their bishop, commemorated him in liturgical services, and paid him thekanonikon,an ecclesiastical tax which provided a significant source of income for the patriarchate.

Source

• Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium,pp. 1946-47