Maurists

Maurists, a reformed congregation of Benedictines, originally established in Lorraine, but from 1618 onwards named after the 6th-century St Maur, and established at the abbey of St Maur-sur-Loire, 14 miles NW. of Saumur. Originally noted for their austerity, they were afterwards especially known for their services to learning. The headquarters of the order was subsequently in three houses near Paris, especially St Germain-des-Prés. The congregation was dissolved with other monastic orders in 1792, and the splendid conventual buildings at St Maur destroyed during the revolutionary troubles. Amongst the learned fathers of St Maur were such scholars as Mabillon, Montfaucon, D'Achéry, Martène, Rivet, Tassisi, Bouquet, Ruinart, Lami; and amongst the works published, besides admirable editions of the fathers, the Art de Vérifier les Dates (1787), a new edition of Ducange's Glossarium, De Re Diplomatica, Acta Sanctorum S. Benedicti (9 vols. 1702), Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti (6 vols. 1739), Gallia Christiana, Veterum Scriptorum Amplissima Collectio, Histoire Littéraire de France, &c.