The Mechitarists Congregation is a spiritual, educational, scientific and cultural congregation of monks of the Armenian Catholic Church. It was founded by Mechitar of Sebastia in Constantinople in 1701. In 1717, the Congregation started operating at the island of St. Lazarus (San Lazzaro) close to Venice, Italy. The Vatican recognized Mechitar of Sebastia as a leader of the Congregation, and he was awarded the title of Abbot. The objective of the college founded in St. Lazarus in 1732 was to develop a generation that would continue the activities of the Congregation. In 1789, the Congregation established its publishing house which has since published numerous works of world and Armenian classics as well as philological, religious, scientific studies and periodicals.

In 2000, the Mechitarists Congregation of the Venice and Vienna branches held a joint general meeting at which they decided to create the United Mechitarists Congregation, with the Monastery of San Lazzaro having become its center.

The members of the Congregation are working closely with the scientists of the Republic of Armenia. Activities of these members include attending conferences on Armenian studies.