Life Mkhitar Sebastatsi

1 life

1.1 life
1.2 monk
1.3 founder

life
early life

he born manugh in sebaste (now sivas) in lesser armenia on 17 february 1676, son of prosperous merchant peter , wife shahristan. parents gave him education prepare him assume family business. instead, age, wanted become monk. refused permission this, found young companion flee mountains might live hermits. found parents returned home. result of this, bishop abbot of nearby monastery of surp nshan (holy cross) conferred minor orders on boy might assist @ liturgical services of monastery. still refused permission enter monastery parents, began frequent neighboring family consisted of mother , 2 daughters lived monastic form of life in home, shared elderly priest, taught him divine office.

at age of fifteen, manugh received permission had long sought family , entered nearby monastery, ordained deacon. @ point changed name 1 known by, mekhitar (the consoler).

monk

after admittance monastic life, mekhitar began see state of monastic life extremely low after devastating destruction of armenian monasteries in previous centuries. began seek out source of true learning of spiritual life, being taken various monasteries several traveling religious scholars promised teach him sought if serve them. during period, came contact members of roman catholic religious orders active in armenia. learning catholicism, came feel rome best place theological studies had long sought. finally, upon reaching aleppo, placed himself under spiritual direction of jesuit priest, gave him letter of introduction congregation of propaganda. determined set out there, received many setbacks of both health , rejection of armenian monks , bishops along way rejected western doctrines. forced return home town, walking barefoot, though suffering jaundice. regaining health there, in 1696 ordained priest abbot of holy cross monastery.

founder

inspired idea of creating religious order of preachers dedicated raising educational , spiritual level of armenian people, based on models of western church, mekhitar founded in 1701 in constantinople become known after death mekhitarist order.

two years later, escaping persecution ottoman authorities, order moved modon in peloponnese, known morea, venetian possession. in 1715, order moved island of san lazzaro degli armeni @ invitation of venetian republic. mekhitar built monastery on island , order sent out priests serve armenian communities in middle east.

mekhitar died @ monastery on 27 april 1749 , buried in monastery church.