
5.4 St. Gregory of Narek: Patron Saint of Armenia
02/12/25 • 12 min
In the first episode on St. Gregory of Narek (c. 945-1003), Dr. Papandrea introduces one of the newest additions to the list of Doctors of the Church. Gregory was an Armenian monk, scholar, poet, and saint, who was praised by Pope St. John Paul II.
Links
Listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Christianity in Armenia - The Way of the Fathers episode 3.9 Ejmiastin and Christian Armenia: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/39-cities-god-ejmiatsin-and-christian-armenia/
SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/
DONATE at: http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio
Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: http://www.jimpapandrea.com
To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/
Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed: https://www.ccwatershed.org/
In the first episode on St. Gregory of Narek (c. 945-1003), Dr. Papandrea introduces one of the newest additions to the list of Doctors of the Church. Gregory was an Armenian monk, scholar, poet, and saint, who was praised by Pope St. John Paul II.
Links
Listen to Mike Aquilina’s episode on Christianity in Armenia - The Way of the Fathers episode 3.9 Ejmiastin and Christian Armenia: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/39-cities-god-ejmiatsin-and-christian-armenia/
SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/
DONATE at: http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio
Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: http://www.jimpapandrea.com
To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/
Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed: https://www.ccwatershed.org/
Previous Episode

5.3 St. Bede: The Father of English History
In this second episode on St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735 AD), Dr. Papandrea talks about the literary legacy of this Doctor of the Church. Bede is not only considered the “father of English history,” but also the “father of English education.” Although he is now most famous for his Ecclesiastical History of England, his contribution to the Church is actually much greater than that.
Links
The Oxford book - St. Bede: The Ecclesiastical History of the English People; The Greater Chronicle; Bede's Letter to Egbert - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-ecclesiastical-history-of-the-english-people-the-greater-chronicle-bedes-letter-to-egbert-9780199537235?q=978-0199537235&cc=us&lang=en
The Classics of Western Spirituality book - The Venerable Bede: On the Song of Songs and Selected Writings - https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/4700-7/the-venerable-bede.aspx
The Ancient Christian Texts book - Latin Commentaries on Revelation - https://ivpress.com/latin-commentaries-on-revelation
SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/
DONATE at: http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio
Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: http://www.jimpapandrea.com
To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/
For more on the interpretation of the Book of Revelation in the Early Church, see Dr. Papandrea’s book, The Wedding of the Lamb: A Historical Interpretation of the Book of Revelation - https://wipfandstock.com/9781608998067/the-wedding-of-the-lamb/
Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed: https://www.ccwatershed.org/
Next Episode

5.5 St. Gregory of Narek: Doctor of Mercy
St. Gregory of Narek (c. 945-1003), was an Armenian saint: a monk, scholar, poet, and hymn writer. Praised as a saint by Pope St. John Paul II, who called by him the “great Marian doctor of the Armenian Church,” St. Gregory of Narek was officially proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis in 2015–one of the most recent additions to the list of the Doctors of the Church.
Links
Listen to our Way of the Fathers episode on the heresy of Eutyches and monophysitism: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/416-heresieseutyches-monophysitism-drop-in-ocean/
Listen to our Way of the Fathers episode on the heresy of rebaptism: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/410-heresies-rebaptism-and-donatists/
Listen to a lecture by musicologist Dr. Haig Utigjian on St. Gregory’s Odes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xleJO1xra08
(The lecturer sings an example of a (later) melody at about minute 36)
The book, The Doctor of Mercy: The Sacred Treasures of St. Gregory of Narek, by Michael Papazian: https://litpress.org/Products/8501/The-Doctor-of-Mercy
A collection of books about St. Gregory of Narek, including the above: https://litpress.org/Products/SGNSET/The-Works-of-St-Gregory-of-Narek
The English translation of St. Gregory’s book of prayers: The Book of Lamentations: https://www.amazon.com/dp/9993085340
SIGN UP for Catholic Culture’s Newsletter: https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/
DONATE at: http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio
Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: http://www.jimpapandrea.com
Dr. Papandrea’s YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch
To ask questions, make comments, or interact with Dr. Papandrea, join the conversation in the Original Church Community: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/
Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed: https://www.ccwatershed.org/
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