St. Gregory of Narek
Feast day: February 27
Patron
Birth: 950
Death: 1005
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.
Narekatsi was born in the mid-900 and died in the early 11th century: He lived in the semi-independent Kingdom of Vaspurakan, a part of the larger Bagratid Armenia, with its capital, first, in Kars, then in Ani.
Little is known about his life. He was born in a village on the southern shores of Lake Van, in what is now eastern Turkey, to Khosrov Andzevatsi, a bishop. His father was suspected of pro-Byzantine Chalcedonian beliefs and was eventually excommunicated by Catholicos Anania Mokatsi for his interpretation of the rank of Catholicos as being equivalent to that of a bishop, based on the works of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. Grigor and his elder brother Hovhannes were sent to the Narekavank, the monastery of Narek, where he was given religious education by Anania Narekatsi Ananias of Narek. The latter was his maternal great-uncle and a celebrated scholar who had elevated the status of Narekavank to new heights. Being raised in an intellectual and religious fervor, Grigor was ordained priest in 977 and taught others theology at the monastery school until his death.
Whether Narekatsi led a secluded life or not has become a matter of debate. Arshag Chobanian and Manuk Abeghian believe he did, while Hrant Tamrazian argued that Narekatsi was very well aware of the secular world and his time, had deep knowledge of both peasants and princes and the complexities of the world. Tamrazian believes Narekatsi could not have lived solely on literary ecstasy.
Narekatsi was buried inside the walls of the monastery of Narek. A rectangular-shaped chapel-mausoleum was built on his tomb, which survived until the mid-20th century, when the monastery was destroyed by the Turkish authorities, and later replaced with a mosque.
Narekatsi was often mentioned by Pope John Paul II. In his 1987 encyclical Redemptoris Mater the Pope called him "one of the outstanding glories of Armenia." Article 2678 of Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated by John Paul II in 1992, mentions the tradition of prayer in his works. John Paul II referred to him in addresses in 2000 and 2002.In his February 18, 2001 Angelus address John Paul II described him as "one of Our Lady's principal poets" and "the great doctor of the Armenian Church". In his 2001 Apostolic Letter for the 1,700th Anniversary of the Baptism of the Armenian People the Pope stated that Gregory of Narek "probed the dark depths of human desperation and glimpsed the blazing light of grace that shines even there for believers."
Doctor of the Church
It was announced in February 2015 that Gregory of Narek would be named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis.On 12 April 2015, on Divine Mercy Sunday, during a Mass for the centennial of the Armenian Genocide at St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis officially proclaimed Gregory of Narek as Doctor of the Church in attendance of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I, and Armenian Catholic Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni. Francis declared:
Saint Gregory of Narek, a monk of the tenth century, knew how to express the sentiments of your people more than anyone. He gave voice to the cry, which became a prayer, of a sinful and sorrowful humanity, oppressed by the anguish of its powerlessness, but illuminated by the splendour of God’s love and open to the hope of his salvific intervention, which is capable of transforming all things.
He became the 36th and the first Armenian Doctor of the Church.[91] He is also the "second saint coming out of the Eastern Church" and the only Doctor "who was not in communion with the Catholic Church during his lifetime."
His name is listed among the saints for 27 February in the Roman Martyrology, where he is defined as "monk, doctor of the Armenians, distinguished for his writings and mystic science." During a mass on June 25, 2016 in Vartanants Square in Gyumri, Francis stated that he "wished to draw greater attention" to Gregory of Narek by making him a Doctor of the Church. He further added:
It is hard to find his equal in the ability to plumb the depths of misery lodged in the human heart. Yet he always balanced human weakness with God’s mercy, lifting up a heartfelt and tearful prayer of trust in the Lord... Gregory of Narek is a master of life, for he teaches us that the most important thing is to recognize that we are in need of mercy. Despite our own failings and the injuries done to us, we must not become self-centred but open our hearts in sincerity and trust to the Lord...
In Yerevan's Republic Square Pope Francis suggested that Gregory can "be defined as a 'Doctor of Peace'."
St. Gregory's proclamation as a Doctor of the Church was commemorated by the Vatican City state with a postage stamp put into circulation September 2, 2015. On 5 April 2018 a two-meter-high bronze statue of Narekatsi, erected by Davit Yerevantsi, was unveiled at the Vatican Gardens by Mikael Minasyan, Armenia's Ambassador to the Holy See. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Pope Francis, Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan, Armenian Apostolic leaders Karekin II and Aram I
Feast day: February 27
Patron
Birth: 950
Death: 1005
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.
Narekatsi was born in the mid-900 and died in the early 11th century: He lived in the semi-independent Kingdom of Vaspurakan, a part of the larger Bagratid Armenia, with its capital, first, in Kars, then in Ani.
Little is known about his life. He was born in a village on the southern shores of Lake Van, in what is now eastern Turkey, to Khosrov Andzevatsi, a bishop. His father was suspected of pro-Byzantine Chalcedonian beliefs and was eventually excommunicated by Catholicos Anania Mokatsi for his interpretation of the rank of Catholicos as being equivalent to that of a bishop, based on the works of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. Grigor and his elder brother Hovhannes were sent to the Narekavank, the monastery of Narek, where he was given religious education by Anania Narekatsi Ananias of Narek. The latter was his maternal great-uncle and a celebrated scholar who had elevated the status of Narekavank to new heights. Being raised in an intellectual and religious fervor, Grigor was ordained priest in 977 and taught others theology at the monastery school until his death.
Whether Narekatsi led a secluded life or not has become a matter of debate. Arshag Chobanian and Manuk Abeghian believe he did, while Hrant Tamrazian argued that Narekatsi was very well aware of the secular world and his time, had deep knowledge of both peasants and princes and the complexities of the world. Tamrazian believes Narekatsi could not have lived solely on literary ecstasy.Narekatsi was buried inside the walls of the monastery of Narek. A rectangular-shaped chapel-mausoleum was built on his tomb, which survived until the mid-20th century, when the monastery was destroyed by the Turkish authorities, and later replaced with a mosque.
Narekatsi was often mentioned by Pope John Paul II. In his 1987 encyclical Redemptoris Mater the Pope called him "one of the outstanding glories of Armenia." Article 2678 of Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated by John Paul II in 1992, mentions the tradition of prayer in his works. John Paul II referred to him in addresses in 2000 and 2002.In his February 18, 2001 Angelus address John Paul II described him as "one of Our Lady's principal poets" and "the great doctor of the Armenian Church". In his 2001 Apostolic Letter for the 1,700th Anniversary of the Baptism of the Armenian People the Pope stated that Gregory of Narek "probed the dark depths of human desperation and glimpsed the blazing light of grace that shines even there for believers."
Doctor of the Church
It was announced in February 2015 that Gregory of Narek would be named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis.On 12 April 2015, on Divine Mercy Sunday, during a Mass for the centennial of the Armenian Genocide at St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis officially proclaimed Gregory of Narek as Doctor of the Church in attendance of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I, and Armenian Catholic Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni. Francis declared:
Saint Gregory of Narek, a monk of the tenth century, knew how to express the sentiments of your people more than anyone. He gave voice to the cry, which became a prayer, of a sinful and sorrowful humanity, oppressed by the anguish of its powerlessness, but illuminated by the splendour of God’s love and open to the hope of his salvific intervention, which is capable of transforming all things.
He became the 36th and the first Armenian Doctor of the Church.[91] He is also the "second saint coming out of the Eastern Church" and the only Doctor "who was not in communion with the Catholic Church during his lifetime."
His name is listed among the saints for 27 February in the Roman Martyrology, where he is defined as "monk, doctor of the Armenians, distinguished for his writings and mystic science." During a mass on June 25, 2016 in Vartanants Square in Gyumri, Francis stated that he "wished to draw greater attention" to Gregory of Narek by making him a Doctor of the Church. He further added:
It is hard to find his equal in the ability to plumb the depths of misery lodged in the human heart. Yet he always balanced human weakness with God’s mercy, lifting up a heartfelt and tearful prayer of trust in the Lord... Gregory of Narek is a master of life, for he teaches us that the most important thing is to recognize that we are in need of mercy. Despite our own failings and the injuries done to us, we must not become self-centred but open our hearts in sincerity and trust to the Lord...
In Yerevan's Republic Square Pope Francis suggested that Gregory can "be defined as a 'Doctor of Peace'."
St. Gregory's proclamation as a Doctor of the Church was commemorated by the Vatican City state with a postage stamp put into circulation September 2, 2015. On 5 April 2018 a two-meter-high bronze statue of Narekatsi, erected by Davit Yerevantsi, was unveiled at the Vatican Gardens by Mikael Minasyan, Armenia's Ambassador to the Holy See. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Pope Francis, Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan, Armenian Apostolic leaders Karekin II and Aram I
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