Gregory of Narek

Saint

Gregory of Narek
Գրիգոր Նարեկացի
Portrait of Gregory from an 1173 manuscript from Cilician Armenia[a]
Doctor of the Church
Bornc. 945–951
ResidenceNarek Monastery, Kingdom of Vaspurakan
Diedc. 1003–1011 (aged ≈60)
Venerated in
Major shrineChapel-Mausoleum at Narek Monastery[4]
Feast
InfluencesNeoplatonism, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
InfluencedAll Armenian literature, especially verse: Nerses Shnorhali, Sayat-Nova, Yeghishe Charents[8]
Major worksBook of Lamentations (Narek)

Grigor Narekatsi[b] (Armenian: Գրիգոր Նարեկացի; anglicized as Gregory of Narek;[c] c. 950 – 1003/1011) was an Armenian mystical and lyrical poet, monk, and theologian. He is venerated as a saint in the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic Churches and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis in 2015.

The son of a bishop, Gregory was educated, ordained, and later stationed at Narekavank on the southern shores of Lake Van (modern Turkey). Scholars consider Gregory the most beloved and significant theological and literary figure of the Armenian religious tradition.

He is best known for his Book of Lamentations, a significant piece of mystical literature which serves as a confessional prayer book in many Armenian religious households. His works have inspired many Armenian literary figures and influenced Armenian literature in general throughout the ages.

  1. ^ Nersessian 2018, p. 239.
  2. ^ "Ս. Գրիգոր Նարեկացի (951–1003)". sacredtradition.am (in Armenian). Archived from the original on 29 December 2016.
  3. ^ Nersessian, Vrej (2001). "The Book of Lamentations, 1173". Treasures from the Ark: 1700 Years of Armenian Christian Art. Getty Publications. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-89236-639-2.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hasratyan 1982 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Saints and Feasts (According to the Liturgical Calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church)". Holy See of Cilicia. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Holy Translators – Mesrob, Yeghishe, Moses (Movses) the Poet, David (Tavit) the Philosopher, Gregory of Nareg, Nerses of Kla (grace-filled)
  6. ^ "Armenian Church of the Holy Translators". armenianchurchofmetrowest.org. Armenian Church of the Holy Translators. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference lastampa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference ysu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Quibus Sanctus Gregorius Narecensis Doctor Ecclesiae universalis renuntiatur". vatican.va. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020.
  10. ^ Tornielli, Andrea [in Italian] (23 February 2015). "Gregorio di Narek sarà dottore della Chiesa". La Stampa (in Italian). Archived from the original on 11 April 2019.


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