What Does the Word Starets Mean?

: a spiritual director or religious teacher in the Eastern Orthodox Church specifically : a spiritual adviser who is not necessarily a priest, who is recognized for his piety, and who is turned to by monks or laymen for spiritual guidance.

What is the meaning of a starets?

Starets, (Slavic translation of Greek gerōn, “elder”), plural Startsy, in Eastern Orthodoxy, a monastic spiritual leader.

What is a russian starets?

A starets (Romanian: stareț, Russian: стáрец, IPA: [ˈstarʲɪt͡s]; fem. ста́рица) is an elder of an Eastern Orthodox monastery who functions as venerated adviser and teacher. Elders or spiritual fathers are charismatic spiritual leaders whose wisdom stems from God as obtained from ascetic experience.