Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

Gregory was an Armenian monk born about 950, the son of Khosrov, a learned man who became a bishop after his wife’s death. He was brought up at the monastery of Narek on the southern shore of Lake Van, in what is now eastern Turkey, and spent his life there as a monk, teacher and priest.

His Book of Lamentations, ninety-five prayers addressed to God “from the depths of the heart,” is one of the masterpieces of Armenian literature and is still read in Armenian homes; he also wrote hymns and a commentary on the Song of Songs. He died about 1003 (some scholars date his death later). Pope Francis named him a Doctor of the Church in 2015, and his memorial was added to the Roman calendar in 2021.