Gregory of narek s masterpiece, the prayerpoems of the book of lamentations, are available in english online heres part of prayer 2 grant me life, compassionate lord. At the monastery of narek in armenia, the monk saint gregory, doctor of the armenians, eminent in his teaching, writing and mystical knowledge. Composer alfred schnittkes concerto for mixed chorus in classical armenian version grabar was performed for the first time in vatican on april 5. As a result, the difficulties of earthly life would disappear. Gregory entered the narek monastery, a very active center of learning on lake van in modernday turkey. Saint gregory of narek also called grigor narekatsi was born in the city of. Gregory of narek born circa 950 to a family of scholarly churchmen, st. The book of prayers, or book of lamentations, is a collection of 95 poems. Gregory wrote a mystical interpretation of the song of songs and a long mystical poem entitled book of prayer, also known as the book of lamentations. In fact, saint gregory of narek is one of the great mystics of world christendom. His book of prayers, also known as book of lamentations, a long mystical poem in 95 sections written around 977 has been translated to many languages.
Gregory of narek book of lamentations prayer 1a haik hakopian. With his book of lamentations, which is a human cry for meaning and salvation, st gregory of narek remains our eternal contemporary. Saint gregory narekatzi, also called gregory of narek, born 951died 1003. Commentary on the prayers and lamentations of grigor narekatsi. I was completely unaware of their existence and was quite touched by what i began to read. As the world observed the 100th anniversary of the armenian genocide in the ottoman empire, pope francis concelebrated a mass at the vatican with patriarch nerses bedros xix tarmouni and declared this monk, poet, and saint of the armenian apostolic church a doctor of the church. For narekatsi, peoples absolute goal in life should be to reach to god. Gregory called his book an encyclopedia of prayer for all nations. On april 12, 1015, pope francis officially proclaimed gregory of narek as a doctor of the church. Lamentations is the only book, however, that consists solely of laments. It originates from the village and monastery of narek and owns its popularity to gregory of narek and the book of lamentations, popularlily known as narek.
Gregory of narek is a mystic, and his greatest contribution to the church after his sainthood and prayers, is a book of poems. Get to know this fascinating and inspiriting armenian saint, our 36th doctor of the church. He called his book an encyclopedia of prayer for all nations. I was completely unaware of their existence and was quite touched by. Renaissance cultural and intellectual foundation announces a sculpting competition, dedicated to the poem book of lamentations by saint gregory of narek. Gregory came from a line of scholars and churchmen. Two notes on biblical tradition and native epic in the book of lamentation of st. His father, khosrov antsevatsi, served as a bishop and theologian of the armenian church. A part of the concerto was performed by deacon hovhannes nersesyan with the mirzoyan. Gregory of narek encouraged the development of classical armenian as a literary language.
Gregory of narek is known for his various poetic writings, especially a book of prayers entitled book of lamentations. Gregory s genius is reflected in his masterpiece book of lamentations. For anyone dealing with pain, long term illness and dryness in prayer, you will find consolation in praying the words of st gregory of narek. Gregory of narek was an armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher, theologian and saint of the armenian apostolic church and catholic church, born into a family of writers. Hildegard of bingen and juan of avila, conferred by pope benedict xvi in 2012. Gregorys masterpiece is considered to be his book of lamentations. Book of lamentations online armenian store buy armenian. Gregory of narek, saint article about gregory of narek. Gregory of narek book of lamentations prayer 95a by haik hakopian. Gregory of narek was a saint, priest, mystic, composer, astronomer, theologian and poet, honored as the first poet of armenia and revered by armenians as a watchful angel in human form. Grigor narekatsi grigor narekatsi biography poem hunter. He was an outstanding theologian, whose theology is not an intellectual reflection on god, but a dialogue with god. The participant sculptors can be from armenia, as well as from other countries in the world. The book, the work of his mature years remains one of the definitive pieces of armenian literature.
Saint gregory has been depicted holding his book of prayer in a variety of artwork and a professor of psychiatry was able to develop a unique kind of therapy based on saint gregory s book of lamentations. Gregory of narek is the first new doctor of the church appointed by pope francis. A leader of the welldeveloped school of written shortly before the first millenium of christianity, the prayers of st. The work is a manuscript dating back to the th14th century, and is one of the earliest copies of the 10th century original, which has. Grigor narekatsi author of the armenian prayer book of st. Also known as narek, it is comprised of 95 prayers, each of which is titled conversation with god from the depth of the heart. Alfred schnittkes concerto with original text of st. The book contains 91 prayers and was completed one year before he died. Doctor of the church, was a member of the monastery of narek on the shores of lake van, wrote his book of lamentations, commonly known as the book of prayers or narek, in 1002. This golden age of the armenian civilization is personified by gregory of narek priest and poet, theologian and philosopher, monk and mystic. A large number of the psalms are lament poems, and every prophetic book except haggai includes one or more examples of the lament genre.
Gregory of narek book of lamentations prayer 95b by haik hakopian. He was renowned for his mystical poems and hymns, biblical commentaries, and sacred elegies. He described it an encyclopedia of prayer for all nations. Gregory of narek have long been recognized as gems of. Potsdam, germany a revolutionary technology developed in germany has made it possible to reconstruct an early version of saint gregory of narek s book of prayers or lamentations, conserved in the matenadaran in yerevan. Saint gregory of narek doctor of the church book of 94 prayer book of lamentations. Lamentations is not the only ot book that contains individual or community laments. His earliest extant writing is a commentary on the biblical book the song of songs in 977, which is notable for its ample use of earlier greek commentators on the biblical book, particularly gregory of nyssa. Gregory wrote letters, odes, and music, his most famous work being a book of mystical prayers, the book of lamentations, also called the prayer book. Gregory is the first doctor of the church to have lived outside direct communion with the bishop of rome. Shortly before the first millennium of christianity, narek monastery was a thriving center of learning.
Saint gregory of narek, an extraordinary interpreter of the human soul, offers words which are prophetic for us. Message of his holiness pope francis on the 100th anniversary of. It is commonly called narek, or the prayer book, and was published in 1673 in marseille, and later translated into at least 30 languages. A sculpting contest dedicated to book of lamentations by. Mystic, monk and poet meet the newest doctor of the church. The 95 lamentations are grouped together, mirroring the different stages of the liturgy, from the dismissal of the catechumens, the profession of faith and communion to the final prayers in preparation of death and judgment. Gregory entered narek monastery on the southeast shore of lake van at a young age. Saint gregory of narek is an armenian medieval monk, theologian, mystical poet, composer and a philosopher, 36th ecumenical doctor, is considered the founder of the renaissance of armenian literature. Gregory was born about 950 to a family dedicated to the church. The voice of a sighing heart, its sobs and mournful cries, i offer up to you, o seer of secrets, placing the fruits of my wavering mind as a savory sacrifice on the fire of my grieving soul to be delivered to you in the censer of my will. Piecing together the words of a saint the armenian. Gregory of narek is the author of many works, his fame rests upon the book of lamentations, a collection of ninetyfive. I willingly blame myself with myriad accounts of all the incurable sins, from our first forefather through the end of his generations in all eternity, i charge myself with all these voluntarily book of lamentations, lxxii. It was his hope that it would serve as a guide to prayer for people of all stations around the world.
Grigor narekatsi, book of lamentations, armenian classical. Gregory received his education under the guidance of his father, bishop khosrov, author of the earliest commentary on the divine liturgy, and from anania vartabed, abbess of narek monastery. This is a book you can dip into time and again each time your prayer life needs a boost. It appears that grigor narekatsi is a man of many talents. Gregory of narek s classic, the book of lamentations, the matean oghbergutean needs no introduction. He entered monastic life at an early age, becoming a priest at age 25. Gregory of narek religionwiki fandom powered by wikia. Translating other languages into english is not easy, and these translators have done an excellent job. Gregory of narek have long been recognized as gems of christian literature. Book of prayer is known in armenian as girk aghotits literally, book of prayer or matean voghbergutyan literally book of tragedy or lamentation. In 2017, renaissance cultural and intellectual foundation launched the process of collecting the content for the website devoted to grigor narekatsi.
In his book of prayer, also called the book of lamentations or the song of songs, gregory wrote that the answer to the question is the sighs of the heart. Gregory of narek armenian church in honor of the 10th century armenian monk who authored the book of lamentations, a masterpiece of armenian ecclesiastical literature. Grigor narekatsi or krikor, grigor naregatsi, 9511003 is a cannonized saint. He is the author of mystical interpretation on the song of songs and numerous poetic writings. Book of lamentations read, study bible verses online.