BOOK OF PRAYER
Tenets of Prayer Prayer
1 Prayer 2 Prayer
3 Prayer 4 Prayer
5 Prayer 6
Prayer 7 Prayer 8
Prayer 9 Prayer 10
Prayer 11 Prayer
12 Prayer 13 Prayer
14
Prayer 15 Prayer
16 Prayer 17 Prayer
18 Prayer 19 Prayer
20 Prayer 21 Prayer
22
Prayer 23 Prayer
24 Prayer 25 Prayer
26 Prayer 27 Prayer
28 Prayer 29 Prayer
30
Prayer 31 Prayer
32 Prayer 33 Prayer
34 Prayer 35 Prayer
36 Prayer 37 Prayer
38
Prayer 39 Prayer
40 Prayer 41 Prayer
42 Prayer 43 Prayer
44 Prayer 45 Prayer
46
Prayer 47 Prayer
48 Prayer 49 Prayer
50 Prayer 51 Prayer
52 Prayer 53 Prayer
54
Prayer 55 Prayer
56 Prayer 57 Prayer
58 Prayer 59 Prayer
60 Prayer 61 Prayer
62
Prayer 63 Prayer
64 Prayer 65 Prayer
66 Prayer 67 Prayer
68 Prayer 69 Prayer
70
Prayer 71 Prayer
72 Prayer 73 Prayer
74 Prayer 75 Prayer
76 Prayer 77 Prayer
78
Prayer 79 Prayer
80 Prayer 81 Prayer
82 Prayer 83 Prayer
84 Prayer 85 Prayer
86
Prayer 87 Prayer
88 Prayer 89 Prayer
90 Prayer 91 Prayer
92 Prayer 93 Prayer
94
Prayer 95 Colophon
Postscript Dedication on
the Composition of this Book
The sun that brings joy to our eyes
the brilliant, glistening round disc,
always brimming, radiant light bearer, 1
measurer of days, dispelling darkness,
is the creative dawn that counts years and groups
them into centuries
along the eternal cycle of life and death of this
passing world.
At the end of the ninth jubilee 2
and the commencement of the tenth
according to the calendar of the people of the
House of Japhet, 3
three years after his arrival, in the
north-eastern regions, 4
the conquering Roman Emperor Basil, 5
traversed the expansive frontier in all directions
and raised huge stone monuments wherever he
laid his hand.
Without blinking an eye,
he took possessions to the left and right,
without breaks or gaps,
adding the parcels and territories
of many nations to his realm.
In a tranquil period,
when the enemies of the church were restrained,
I undertook the writing of this book.
I planned, arranged, compiled, took notes,
gathered, organized, composed, and set it forth,
bringing together in one comprehensive work,
in a single style, passages from many different sources,
to produce this sacred book.
I, Grigor, priest of the faith,
the lowest in rank among the poets and the
least of the teachers,
working with my blessed brother John,
a member of the noble brotherhood of Narek Monastery,
being relatives not only in body,
but also in unity of soul, faith, honor, and thought,
initiated in the same way of life,
we lived as two persons with one persona,
four eyes fixed on the same mystic vision.
And now, we ask you who partake at this banquet table
with its various offerings,
to remember us in earnest prayers
and worthy supplications,
with pure love and kind thoughts,
that your name be written in the
book of everlasting life in heaven on high.6
Amen.
___________________
1. Unlike the moon which waxes and wanes.
2. 9 x 50 = 450 (each half-century was a jubilee)
3. According to Biblical tradition as set forth by the father of Armenian
history, Movses Khorenatsi, the Armenians decedent from Noah’s son Japhet,
through his grandson, Togarmah (Armenian Torgom), whose son was Hayk, eponymous
forefather of the Armenian people. See, Gen. 9:18-10:2, 1 Chr. 1:4, Movses
Khorenatsi, History of Armenia, Bk. 1:5. The Armenian Calendar starts at 551,
the year after the Council of Dvin. Since this is the first year of the tenth
jubilee year, St. Gregory finished writing this book in 451 of the Armenian
era, which is 1002 (451 + 551) AD.
4 North-east of Vaspurakan and east of the Byzantine Empire.
5. Basil II (976-1025) who came to Armenia in 999, to claim possessions left
to him by prince David.
6. Lk. 10:20, Rev. 20:12.
| Acknowledgements: |
| Source:
St.
Gregory of Narek © 2002, Thomas J. Samuelian. Published with the permission of the author. |
| See also: |
| Biography
of Grigor Narekatsi (in Armenian) |