The Blessing of Blessings: Gregory of Narek's Commentary on the Song of Songs

by Grigor Narekatsi, Roberta Ervine (Translation)

Gregory of Narek (c. 945-1003), a monk and a priest, is best known for his poetic works, and one of the few commentators on the Song of Songs, which was so great a focus among western monastic writers of the patristic and medieval periods. Living during a period of cultural and religious renaissance which preceded the Turkish and Mongol invasions of Armenia, and in a period of conflict between the non-Chalcedonian Christians of his native land and their Byzantine neighbors, Grigor worked from the Armenian text of the Song, which is slightly longer than the Septuagint or Hebrew versions and contains passages which vary from them. In his commentary Grigor traces themes and draws on other scriptural books to remind readers that every human person is endowed with an innate love for God, which in his words, 'cannot be sapped.'

232 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2008

About the author

Grigor Narekatsi (or Krikor, Grigor Naregatsi, Գրիգոր Նարեկացի; Gregory of Narek) (951–1003) was an Armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher, and theologian, born into a family of writers. He is a canonized saint in the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic Churches. His father, Khosrov, was an archbishop. Narekatsi lost his mother very early, so he was educated by his cousin, Anania of Narek, who was the founder of the monastery and school of the village. Almost all of his life he lived in the Monastery of Narek (Narekavank; in Greater Armenia, now Turkey, destroyed in the 20th century after the Armenian Genocide) where he taught at the monastic school. He is the author of mystical interpretation on the Song of Songs (977) and numerous poetic writings. Narekatsi's poetry is deeply biblical and is penetrated with images, themes and realities of sacred history, distinguished with intimate, personal character. The mystical poem "Book of Lamentations" (completed circa 1002–3, published in 1673 in Marseille) has been translated into many languages and has played a significant role in the development of the Armenian literary language.

For Narekatsi, peoples' absolute goal in life should be to reach to God, and to reach wherever human nature would unite with godly nature, thus erasing the differences between God and men. As a result, the difficulties of earthly life would disappear. According to him, mankind's assimilation with God is possible not by logic, but by feelings.

Numerous miracles and traditions have been attributed to the saint and perhaps that is why he is referred to as "the watchful angel in human form".

In 1984–85, Alfred Schnittke composed Concerto for Mixed Chorus singing verses from Gregory's Book of Lamentations translated into Russian by Naum Grebnev, according to the Russian edition Kniga Skorbi, transl. by Naum Grebnev, Preface by Levon Mkrtchian, Sovetakan Grogh, Yerevan, 1977.

Reviews

[Nicholas Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gregory's self-aware use of the Armenian translation's peculiarities, "translated from Hebrew to Hellenic, Hellenic to Greek, to Syriac, then to Armenian," offers wonderful perspectives foreign to the Latin tradition of exegesis on the Song. Dr. Ervine's footnotes and substantial ecclesial-historical context also render this, at times ethereal, work accessible and enjoyable both for the mind and heart.