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(Vatican Radio) As Pope Francis is on his way to Armenia this  Friday 24th of June and scheduled to land at 1 pm Rome time in the nation's capital Yerevan it's perhaps time to highlight his proclamation back on the 12th of April 2015 of a 10th century Armenian monk St Gregory of Narek as Doctor of the Church. Please find below a selection of the Popes words relating to St Gregory of Narek delivered in the Vatican on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of 'Metz Yeghern':

"Today is a propitious occasion for us to pray together, as we proclaim Saint Gregory of Narek a Doctor of the Church. I wish to express my deep gratitude for the presence here today of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, and His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, Patriarch of Cilicia of Armenian Catholics.

Saint Gregory of Narek, a monk of the tenth century, knew how to express the sentiments of your people more than anyone. He gave voice to the cry, which became a prayer, of a sinful and sorrowful humanity, oppressed by the anguish of its powerlessness, but illuminated by the splendour of God’s love and open to the hope of his salvific intervention, which is capable of transforming all things. “Through his strength I wait with certain expectation believing with unwavering hope that… I shall be saved by the Lord’s mighty hand and… that I will see the Lord himself in his mercy and compassion and receive the legacy of heaven” (Saint Gregory of Narek, Book of Lamentations, XII)"....

And again further on in this message Pope Francis referring to the sorrowful anniversary of the 'Metz Yeghern' goes on to say:

"May this sorrowful anniversary become for all an occasion of humble and sincere reflection, and may every heart be open to forgiveness, which is the source of peace and renewed hope. Saint Gregory of Narek, an extraordinary interpreter of the human soul, offers words which are prophetic for us: “I willingly blame myself with myriad accounts of all the incurable sins, from our first forefather through the end of his generations in all eternity, I charge myself with all these voluntarily” (Book of Lamentations, LXXII). How striking is his sense of universal solidarity! How small we feel before the greatness of his invocations: “Remember, [Lord,]… those of the human race who are our enemies as well, and for their benefit accord them pardon and mercy… Do not destroy those who persecute me, but reform them, root out the vile ways of this world, and plant the good in me and them” (ibid., LXXXIII)."

For the full message of Pope Francis relating to the 100th anniversary of  'Metz Yeghern': 

https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/pont-messages/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20150412_messaggio-armeni.html

For more about St Gregory of Narek:  

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/02/23/pope_francis_declares_armenian_saint_doctor_of_the_church/1125062

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