MECHITAR (called Gosh, "Imberbe") of Cantzag. - Armenian priest of the 12th century, d. in 1213; founder of the religious community of Ghedik (monastery). He enjoyed great esteem for virtue and learning. He wrote, among other things, The Nomocanon, his masterpiece, which, although devoid of juridical value properly so called, found great acceptance and is preserved in many manuscripts.

The Nomocanon consists of three parts: Introduction, Ecclesiastical Law, Civil Law. M. places the pope at the supreme summit of the hierarchy of the Church. He holds ideas against Chalcedon, and admits divorce; but tormented by remorse he prays to be corrected, indeed he asks those who have the right to do so to commit his book to the fire if anything should disagree with the teaching of the Church.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: Works: Il Nomocanone, critical ed., Vahan Bastamiantz, Vagarshabad 1880; J. Karst, Sempadischer Kodex, aus dem 13. Jahrhundert in Verbindung mit dem Grossarmenischen Rechtsbuch des M. Gosch aus dem 12. Jahrhundert, II, Strasbourg 1905.

Studies: J. Mecérian, M. Kosch, in Mélanges de l'Université de St-Joseph (Beirut), 27 (1947-48), pp. 202-34.

Gregorio Sarkissian

@incollection{ec8_mechitar_detto_gosh_imberbe_di, author = {Sarkissian, Gregorio}, title = {Mechitar (Detto Gosh, «imberbe») di cantzag}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, pages = {561--562}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/mechitar-detto-gosh-imberbe-di-cantzag} }

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Mechitar (called Gosh, "Imberbe") of Cantzag

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