Armenian Antonians

ANTONIANI ARMENI. - A monastic institute, now extinct, begun in the 18th century by the four Muradian brothers, during the persecution carried out by the Armenian patriarchs of Constantinople against the supporters of the current advocating union with Rome. Having withdrawn to Mount Lebanon, they received as a gift the locality of Creim, near Beirut, where the first monastery was built (1716), under the title of S. Salvatore. Since the attempt to link the Lebanese foundation with that established by Abbot Mechitar in Venice did not succeed, the A. of S. Salvatore of Creim adopted (1752) the rule known as that of St. Anthony, already approved by Clement XII for the Maronites (1732), and in 1761 transferred the novitiate to Rome. An apostolate so well begun came to an end in the second half of the 19th century, when the controversy between Hassunists and anti-Hassunists led the Armenian monks into schism. The surviving possessions and the rich library were incorporated into the Armenian institute of Bzommar (Lebanon).