STEFANO MELKONIAN. — Successor of the Venerable Melchitar, founder of the Melchitarists. Born in Constantinople on 23 February 1717, he entered the Order in 1730; ordained priest in 1739 and elected Abbot General on 6 April 1750, he died on 19 September 1799.
M. completed the construction of the Abbey of St Lazarus begun by the founder. He promoted and gave new impetus to historical, critical and literary studies. During his long tenure, the great figures of M. Ciamcian, Ingigian, Avedichian, Aucherian and others were formed. In 1789, he founded the famous Armenian printing press at St Lazarus.
BIBL.: Melchitarian Jobeian, S. M., Venezia 1901 (publication [in Armenian] by the Melchitarists of Venice on the occasion of the bicentenary of their foundation). Nicola Kehiaian