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St. Gregory Of Narek - Newest Doctor Of The Church


Luigi

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VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis has given a gift of sorts to Armenian Catholics commemorating the 100th anniversary of the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, declaring a revered 10th-century mystic and poet, St. Gregory of Narek, a doctor of the church.

The Vatican said Monday that Francis had agreed to bestow one of the highest church honors on Gregory after the decision was taken by the Vatican's saint-making office. The designation, however, clearly reflects a desire of Francis, who as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was particularly close to the Armenian community in Buenos Aires.

The title of doctor of the church is reserved for people whose writings have greatly served the universal church. Only 35 people have been given the title, including St. Augustine, St. Francis de Sales and St. Teresa of Avila.

Gregory, who lived around 950 to 1005, is considered one of the most important figures of medieval Armenian religious thought and literature. His Book of Prayers, also called the Book of Lamentations, is his best-known work, a mystical poem in 95 sections about "speaking with God from the depths of the heart."

The designation comes a few weeks before Francis celebrates a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica to commemorate the centenary of the start of the Armenian massacre.

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First time I heard of this man, will have to learn how he contributes to the faith. The one concerning question I have is whether this person was a monophysite?

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Basilisa Marie

First time I heard of this man, will have to learn how he contributes to the faith. The one concerning question I have is whether this person was a monophysite?

 

I don't think Francis would have made him a Doctor of the Church if he was? Seeing as that's a heresy? 

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This is how Rorate put it:

"It is interesting to note that Gregory lived at a time when the Armenian Church, to which he belonged, was not formally in communion with Rome and Constantinople. However, as those interested in the extremely tangled history of Christianity in the first millennium are well aware, one cannot always speak straightforwardly of "schism" and "heresy" when dealing with the theological and ecclesiastical divisions of Christendom in that era."

 

I think it is a fair assessment. So much of the issues were political as much as theological, and it can be difficult to sort out sometimes.

Edited by Nihil Obstat
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So why is he a Doctor?

Because "one cannot always speak straightforwardly of "schism" and "heresy" when dealing with the theological and ecclesiastical divisions of Christendom in that era."

 

I am not personally familiar with his writings, however.

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I mean what's the positive reason for bestowing this title on him? According to the OP it was a "gift" to the Armenian Church commemorating their massacre. But there has to be more to it then that, right?

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I mean what's the positive reason for bestowing this title on him? According to the OP it was a "gift" to the Armenian Church commemorating their massacre. But there has to be more to it then that, right?

As I said, I am not familiar with his writings.

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First time I heard of this man, will have to learn how he contributes to the faith. The one concerning question I have is whether this person was a monophysite?

 

 

If I were you, I'd send my concerns straight to the Vatican immediately, so that those fools guided by the Holy Spirit don't do any kind of irreparable harm to the billions of innocent but gullible souls who have misplaced their trust in the Successor of Peter, the representative of Christ on Earth.

 

 

But I'm not you, so you're going to have to do that yourself. 

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If I were you, I'd send my concerns straight to the Vatican immediately, so that those fools guided by the Holy Spirit don't do any kind of irreparable harm to the billions of innocent but gullible souls who have misplaced their trust in the Successor of Peter, the representative of Christ on Earth.

 

 

But I'm not you, so you're going to have to do that yourself. 

 

Yes, you're right. Thankfully the Vatican is on top of it. I feel relieved. Really. 

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Also, not a monophysite but miaphysite. There is debate as to the legitimacy of that distinction between miaphysite and diphysite being possibly just a matter of translation. Also, the church whose schism was brought up was not present at any council in which they became in schism.

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Oremus Pro Invicem

I say Bishop Fulton J Sheen as Doctor of the the Church.

Either way, great news for St. Gregory.  Please pray for us St. Gregory. 

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Nihil Obstat

I was going to reply to this last week, but lost the chance.

If anyone is curious, my priest is not in favour of St. Gregory of Narek being named a doctor of the Church.

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