Gregory of Narek

Lore & Background

Gregory was born in a village on the southern shores of Lake Van, in what is now eastern Turkey, to Khosrov Andzevatsi, a relative of the Artsruni royal family. His mother died when he was little, and his father was ordained a bishop after being widowed. Khosrov was later excommunicated by Catholicos Anania Mokatsi for undermining the Armenian Church with his interpretation of the rank of Catholicos. Gregory and his elder brother Hovhannes were sent to Narekavank monastery, where he was educated by his maternal great-uncle, Anania Narekatsi, the monastery's founder. Whether he led a secluded life is debated among scholars; some argue he had deep knowledge of peasants, princes, and the complexities of the world.

Reader's Guide

The book is considered second only to the Bible in popularity among Armenians and has been treasured for centuries, with some attributing miraculous powers to it. Gregory also wrote hymns, panegyrics, homilies, chants, and prayers still sung in Armenian churches. His works often defended orthodoxy against the Tondrakian sect. The central idea of his philosophy is eternal salvation through faith and divine grace, not necessarily through the institutional church, a view that has led some to see him as a precursor to Protestantism, though this interpretation has been challenged. Gregory was buried at Narekavank; his chapel-mausoleum survived until the mid-20th century, when the monastery was destroyed by Turkish authorities and replaced with a mosque.

Did You Know?

• His father was excommunicated for undermining the Armenian Church with his interpretation of the rank of Catholicos.
• The Book of Lamentations is often called simply 'Narek' and has been historically kept in Armenian homes as a talisman.