Reviewed by: From the Depths of the Heart. Annotated Translation of the Prayers of St. Gregory of Narek by Abraham Terian Theo Maarten van Lint (bio) Abraham Terian, From the Depths of the Heart. Annotated Translation of the Prayers of St. Gregory of Narek. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press 2021. 568 pages. Hardback ISBN 978-0-8146-8464-1, 8464. US$ 49.95 E-book US$ 47.99. eISBN: 978-0-8146-8489-4, E8489 Saint Gregory of Narek (Surb Grigor Narekats‘i, ca. 945–1003) was recognised by Pope Francis as Doctor of the Church in 2015. This may prove to have been a pivotal step on the way to obtain the universal audience the Armenian monk and mystic intended for his magnum opus and final work, ninety-five penitential prayers offered to God “from the depths of the heart,” traditionally called—though not by Terian—the Book of Lamentation (Matean oghbergut‘ean), finished shortly before his death. The intended audience of the book is expressed several times in the book (Prayers 26.4, 33.2, 88.2). The earliest example, from section two of Prayer 3 is as follows:1 This newly sung book of laments is descriptive of (feelings) common to every race of rational beings, wherever they may be planted on earth, (expressed) by one aware of the passions besetting all, who, as a companion well informed of everyone’s needs, has transferred them to his own image. It is for the whole body of diverse congregations of Christians worldwide […] Upon completion of the work it was by no means a given that it would enjoy a wide circulation, including a millennial and ongoing reception history. No copy of it is known from before 1173, when Nersēs Lambronats‘i, soon to be archbishop of Tarsus, commissioned [End Page 169] it for his own use. That manuscript is now kept in the Mashtots Institute for Ancient Manuscripts, the Matenadaran in Yerevan, under siglum M1568. Having been copied for centuries, the Narek’s first partial print version appeared in Marseille in 1673 thanks to Oskan Erevants‘i, the bishop responsible for the first printed version of the Bible in Armenian, published in Amsterdam between 1666 and 1668. From then on, a steady stream followed that has only increased over time. Among Armenians the book acquired very special status. A copy of it could be found in many homes, where it might be considered a tan surb, a “Saint of the House,” believed to be endowed with special grace, revered, and kept with the greatest care. Verses from the book were worn around the neck as talismans, copies were placed on the bed of the sick in the hope of healing. The work found its way also into the Divine Liturgy and several of the daily services. It is helpful that Terian mentions these instances in his annotations. Sections six and seven of Prayer 33 were included in the Preparation for the Divine Liturgy, after the vesting and before the preparation of the gifts, as we know from Nersēs Lambronats‘i’s Commentary on the Liturgy. Terian considers it possible that this innovation was introduced by Saint Nersēs Shnorhali (1102–1173), who was strongly influenced by Saint Gregory. Less widely known perhaps is the fact that some of the prayers found their way into the Rest Hour (Hangstean Zham), the last of the Daily offices. They form one block, directly following one another, beginning with “A Powerful Supplication against the Terror of the Night” for which Prayer 12.3 and 12.4 are taken together. Here is the opening stanza: Accept kindly, mighty Lord God, the prayers of my embittered soul.Draw near with compassion to my unsightly person.Dispel, Giver of all gifts, my appalling sadness.Remove from me, merciful One, my unbearable burdens.Cast into the outer realm, resourceful One, my mortal habits.2 [End Page 170] This is followed by “A Powerful Prayer,” which gives the text of Prayer 41 in its entirety. Prayer 94, in both its parts follows as “Supplication for Protection against Demons.” The final inclusion in the Zhamagirk‘ from Grigor’s work is Prayer 80, “Entreaty to the Mother of...