Send a textA tenth‑century monk from the shores of Lake Van might be the mentor your spiritual life has been missing. We open the doors of Narek Monastery and step into the luminous world of Saint Gregory of Narek—poet, mystic, and Doctor of the Church—whose fierce honesty about sin and blazing love for Christ forged a path from lament to hope. His ninety‑five “conversations with God,” known as the Book of Lamentations, reveal how confession can heal, how adoration can inflame desire for holiness, and how the Eucharist becomes both medici...
Send a text
A tenth‑century monk from the shores of Lake Van might be the mentor your spiritual life has been missing. We open the doors of Narek Monastery and step into the luminous world of Saint Gregory of Narek—poet, mystic, and Doctor of the Church—whose fierce honesty about sin and blazing love for Christ forged a path from lament to hope. His ninety‑five “conversations with God,” known as the Book of Lamentations, reveal how confession can heal, how adoration can inflame desire for holiness, and how the Eucharist becomes both medicine and banquet for tired souls.
We share Gregory’s story from his early formation under Abbot Anania to the quiet miracle of global recognition in 2015, when Pope Francis named him a Doctor. Along the way, we unpack the core themes that make his witness timeless: suffering that does not collapse into despair, mercy encountered as a living presence in Jesus Christ, and hope that rises from the wounds of the Savior. You’ll hear how his Marian devotion—calling Our Lady Mother of Light and refuge of sinners—deepens his Eucharistic gaze, and why his image of the Church as a healing hospital speaks powerfully to anyone who has ever felt unworthy to pray.
For listeners hungry for practical steps, we offer ways to weave Gregory’s lines into the Liturgy of the Hours, moments of silence before Communion, and personal prayer. We also trace resonances with Western Carmelite spirituality, showing how Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross share Gregory’s summons to interior surrender and bold intimacy with God. Whether you’re planning a pilgrimage to historic Narekavank or seeking renewal at a local chapel, this journey maps a clear route: humility, honest lament, Eucharistic trust, and a steady walk toward the Sacred Heart.
If this conversation stirs your hunger for deeper communion, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find their way to Gregory’s healing wisdom.
Saint Gregory of Narek's writings
Open by Steve Bailey
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