Saint Gregory of Narek to become 36 Doctor of the Church

An Armenian monk and poet from the 10th-century has been named a Doctor of the Universal Church by Pope Francis, an announcement which may be timed coming so close before the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, in which over a million Armenians were murdered by Turks.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - St. Gregory of Narek became a priest at the age of 25, and became famous for his writings on the Song of Songs, the Book of Lamentations which is considered an "encyclopedia of prayer for all nations," and consists of 95 prayers, many of which are still used in the Divine Liturgy in Armenian churches to this very day.

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St. Gregory was born sometime around 950 AD, to Bishop Khosrov, the author of one of the first commentaries on the Divine Liturgy, and the abess of Narek Monastery, Anania Vartabed. He is "widely revered as one of the greatest figures of medieval Armenian religious thought and literature," said Vatican Radio.

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Pope Francis has close ties to the Armenian community, having served with a large enclave of Armenians in Buenos Aires while he as Cardinal Bergoglio.

With the confirmation of St. Gregory, the total number of Doctors of the Church will be 36. Few historical figures of the Church are given this honor, only receiving said title for contributions to theology or Catholic doctrine.

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