Pope Raises Armenian Saint to Doctor of the Church

Catholic Christianity gets a new Doctor of the Church - According to observers, the Pope's decision of Gregory of Narek could be made in the context of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

Vatican City (kath.net/KNA) In the anniversary year for Armenians, Catholics worldwide will receive an Armenian Doctor of the Church. Pope Francis has confirmed this weekend the raising of St. Gregory of Narek as a "Doctor of the Universal Church", as the Vatican announced on Monday. It will follow shortly. The Armenian monk, mystic and writer, was born in 950 in Armenian Andzevatsik in the former kingdom of Vaspurakan. He died around 1005 in Narek. Both towns are located in eastern Anatolia in modern Turkey.

The Holy Catholic Church, honors Saints who make significant contributions for the Doctrine of the Faith. In total there are 35 Church doctors so far. From the German-speaking comes Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), Albertus Magnus (1200-1280 to) and the Jesuit, Peter Canisius (1521-1597).

Christians world wide will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. According to observers, the Pope could be making this decision on Gregory of Narek in this context. As part of the commemoration of the genocide, the victims of the 1915 massacres in the former Ottoman Empire will be canonized by the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church on 24 April in Etchmiadzin. Pope Francis wants on April 12 to celebrate a memorial service in the Armenian rite in St. Peter's Basilica with the Armenian Catholic bishops.

Gregory's life fell into a more peaceful era in Armenia shortly before the Turkish and Mongol invasions, when the country experienced a golden age in literature, painting architecture and theology. Gregor's father Khosrov was later bishop and author of the first commentary on the Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Church, his mother Anania Vartabed, who died young, was abbess of the convent of Narek. Like his two brothers, Gregory was already a monk in early adolescence and at 25 ordained to priesthood. He taught at the convent school of Narekavank at Narek and wrote major writings on music, astronomy, geometry, mathematics, literature and theology. Gregory's letters, liturgical chants, songs and sermons were also widely spread. Many prayers written by him have been included in the Armenian Rite of Mass.

A masterpiece of the mystic is considered to be the book of Lamentations, a well-known also as "Narek" collection of 95 prayers, each of which bears the title "Talk to God from the depths of the heart." They are read today by faithful Armenians.

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
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