LAZARISTS, an order of missionary priests originated in France by Vincent de Paul in 1624. Their chief function was to look after the religious interests of the country people and the lower classes. The new institution soon received the royal sanction, was officially approved in 1626 by the archbishop of Paris, and in 1632 was made by pope Urban VIII. a special religious society with the name of the priests of Me mission, and Vincent was appointed by him its superior. They received also the same year from Adrien Le Bon, prior of St. Lazarus, the use of his priory, whence they were called Lazarists. As their primary object was to dispense religious instruction and assistance among the poorer classes of the rural districts of France, it was stipulated in the original deed of endowment that they should " neither preach nor administer any sacrament in cities which are the seats of bishops, archbishops, or of courts of justice, except in eases of extreme necessity." Besides their special work, they sought to reform the clergy by means of conferences and the establishment of seminaries. At first they lived in poverty and harmony without being subject to any laws; but in 1655 Alexander VII. confirmed their society, and prescribed a constitution, according to which for admis sion to the congregation one must have spent two years in a seminary, and must bind himself by the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, to care for the spiritual wants of the poor. Their dress is that of the secular clergy. During the lifetime of St. Vin
cent his disciples had visited mearly all the dioceses of France. and the missionaries had visited also Italy. Corsica, Poland, Ireland. Scotland. Algeria, Tunis, Madagascar. They were invited to Poland in 1651 by Maria Louisa, wife of king John Casimir II. During the Fre'nelt revolution the Lazarists suffered as all other religious organizations did, but were restored as early as 1804, and received from the public exchequer 15,000 francs, also a hospital in Paris for the establishment of a central institution and novitiate. Napoleon abolished the Lazarists in 1809, suppressed their houses, and confiscated their property. But in 1816 they were restored to their former position by Louis XVIII., and their seminary was transferred to a house in Rue Sevres. In 1829 the pope appointed Pierre Dewailly superior-general. In 1862. according to P. Karl vont hell. Aloys, the Lazarists had 18 houses in France. 27 in Italy, 4 in the British isles. 6 in Germany, 3 in the Pyrenean peninsula, 10 in Poland; in Asia, they had establishments in Asiatic Turkey, Persia, Manilla, 5 provinces of China ; in Africa, at Alexandria, Egypt, Algiers, Mustapha, Abyssinia; in America, 17 establishments. In 1874 the number of Lazarists in both hemispheres was estimated at 3,000.