MEJER, m@'yer, OTTO KARL ALEXANDER: German canoDist; b. at Zellerfeld (28 m. s.e. of Hildesheim) May 27, 1818; d. at Hanover Dec. 25, 1893; studied jurisprudence at Berlin, Jena, and Göttingen (LL,D., 1841). In 1845 he published his Institutionen des gemeinen deutschen Kirchenrechts, containing the elements of canon law. Through this work the Hanoverian government was led to grant him a stipend by means of which he visited Rome, studying the policy of the Roman Church, its power, and its attitude toward Protestants. He officiated as professor at Königsberg and in Greifawald, 1847-50, and was in 1851 appointed consistorial councilor at Rostock, and later librarian of the university there. In Rostock he edited (1854-60), together with IUiefoth, the Kirchliche Zeitschrift, and he took a part in the ecclesiastical-political struggles of the time. In 1874 he became professor at Göttingen, and in 1885 president of the ecclesi astical court at Hanover. Of his numerous works may be mentioned: Die Propaganda, Are Provinz en, ihr Recht (2 vols., Göttingen, 1852-53); Zur Geschichteder römisch-deutschen Frdge (3 vols., Ros tock, 1871,85); and Das Rechtsleben der deutschen evangeliwhen Landeskirchen. Umrisae zur Orientie rung für Geistliche and Gemeindeglieder (Hanover, 1889).

(G. Uhlhorn†.)

MEKHITARISTS: One of the noblest congregations in the Roman Catholic Church, which has developed a literary activity comparable to that of the congregation of St. Maur. Mekhitar, the founder of the order, was born of humble parentage at Sebaste, in Lesser Armenia, Feb. 7, 1676, and died at Venice Apr. 27, 1749. When fourteen years of age he entered the monastery of the Holy Cross near his native place, where in 1691 he was made deacon. He busied himself in study of the Scriptures and patristic writings and developed a talent for hymn-writing. In search of learning he removed to Tokat, and thence to Echmiadzin, the seat of Armenian scholarship. Finding his desires unsatisfied he returned to Sebaste, and in 1693 renewed his study of patristics. In 1695 he set out for Rome, and on the way fell in with the Jesuit missionary Antoine Beauvilliers, who advised him to study in Rome and then diffuse western learning through out Armemia. His journey was broken, however, by a violent fever which attacked him in Cyprus; he returned to his home in the monastery near Sebaste, and there was made priest, 1696. His ambition had been aroused to accomplish two purposes, the moral and religious uplift of his countrymen and the reconciliation of the Roman Catholic and Armenian Churches. In 1699 he was made doctor of theology at Erzerum, became noted as a teacher, and interested many of his pupils in the missionary work which he had at heart. When his purposes respecting church union became known, he was compelled to move with great circumspection, and engaged a house at Pera, a suburb of Constantinople, where a printing-press was set up in the interest of his propaganda. Then began a persecution that compelled him to take refuge with the French ambassador and in the Capuchin monastery. He was advised to select a site in the peninsula of Mores, now a part of Greece, then a possession of Venice, as the seat of the missionary establishment which he contemplated; in 1703 he settled at Modon, in mores,, and by 1708 a monastery, church, and school had been built and occupied. In 1712 his order was constituted under the rule of St. Anthony and St. Benedict. In consequence of the war between Turkey and Venice, he was compelled to leave Modon; he obtained from Venice the island of San Lazarro, where he settled Sept. 8, 1717. The result of a journey to Rome was the gaining of so complete confidence in him on the part of pope and cardinals that all difficulties were removed, and, aided by rich countrymen, he was permitted to witness the completion of his projected buildings.

Mekhitar sought to improve education among the Armenians not only in secular but in religious instruction. He also attempted to carry further the earlier efforts of Popes Urban VIII., Alexander VII., and Innocent XI. for a union of the Roman Catholic and Armenian Churches. He fostered the study of the old Armenian language, writing Grammahca Ar»tena (ed. A. Mekhitar, Venice, 1770) and a lexicon of Armenian (1744). He wrote commentaries on various books of the Bible, e.g., on Matthew (1737); after the translation of individual books, he published a translation of the whole Bible in 1734; he also issued many other works rendered from Latin or Italian, selecting those which he thought would serve the purposes toward which he had worked. After his death the students who had gathered about him, who now called themselves Mekhitarists, took up his work. They and their successors stocked their library with the best treatises and rendered into Armenian the works of the ancient masters in philosophy and theology. Besides this, they were themselves producers, and such works appeared as M. Chamchian's "History of Armenia" (3 vols., Venice, 178486, Eng. transl., 2 vols., Calcutta, 1827), L. Indshidshian's "Archeology and Geography" (11 vols., Venice, 1802-16), and the great Armenian lexicon compiled by a number of collaborators (Venice, 1836-37). Contributions to patristica and other branches of learning have resulted, as

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in the discovery of the thirteen letters of Ignatius in Armenian translation and of the commentary of Ephraem Syrtis on the Gospel Harmony (of Tatian?). The institution in Venice has great influence even with Armenians not in the Roman Catholic Church, and branches in other lands-- Turkey, Russia, France, Austria, and Hungary-- have added to its wealth and prestige. Especially notable among these is the branch in Vienna, planted there in 1810, the printing department of which has contributed largely to the spread of knowledge in the home country. The mother house is now the goal of all modern scholars who desire an intimate knowledge of Armenian language and literature.

(K. Kessler.)

Bibliography: E. Bore, Saint Laaare, ou hid. de la soeUM religieuse armbnnienne de MEchitar, Venice, 1835; idem, La Couvent de S. Lazare h Venise, Paris, 1837; s. Somalian. Quadro delta etoria letterarla di Armenia, Venice, 1829; C. F. Neumann, Versuch einer Geschichte der armenischen Litteratur, Leipsic, 1836; Windischmann, in TQ, 1835, part 1, cf. 1846, pp. 527 sqq.; Le Vaillant de Florival, Les MEkhitaristes de S. Lazare, Venice, 1856; V. Langlois, The Armenian Monastery of St. Lazame-Venice, Venice, 1874; P. A. Hennemann Das Kloster der amenisden MGnche auf der Intel St. Lazzaro, ib. 1881; A. Mayer, Die Mechitaristenbuchdruckerei, Vienna, 1888; F. Scherer, Die Mechitaristen in Wien, ib. 1892; K. Kalemkiarian, Skizze der litemrisclrtypographischen Thdtipkeit der Afechi tariaten Congregation in Wien, ib. 1898; S. Weber, Die katholische Ruche in Armenien, Freiburg, 1903; HL, viii. 1122-37. Some of the literature given under Armenia will be found pertinent. Consult also Heimbusher. Orden und Kongregationen, i. 313-319.