Mekhitarists

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Benedictine Congregation of the Mechitarists

Benedictina Congregatio Mechitarista
Coat of arms of the Mekhitarist Order, from a book, 1900 ca.
Abbreviation	C.A.M.
Nickname	Mechitarists
Established	1701; 323 years ago (1701)
Founder	Mekhitar of Sebaste
Founded at	Constantinople
Type	Monastic order of Pontifical Right for men
Headquarters	Isola di San Lazzaro, Venezia-Lido, Italy
Members	32 members (includes 24 priests) as of 2015
Parent organization	Armenian Catholic Church
Website	www.mekhitariantoronto.org

The Mechitarists, officially the Benedictine Congregation of the Mechitarists (Latin: Benedictina Congregatio Mechitarista), is an Armenian Catholic monastic order of pontifical right for men founded in 1701 by Mekhitar of Sebaste. Members use the postnominal abbreviation CAM.

The order is best known for their series of scholarly publications of ancient Armenian versions of otherwise lost ancient Greek texts and their research on classical and modern Armenian language. They follow the Rule of Saint Benedict.

The congregation was long divided into two branches, with the respective motherhouses being in Venice and Vienna. In July 2000 they united to form one institute.^[1]