This paper examines the final prayers of the Prayer Book by the medieval Armenian theologian and monk Gregory of Narek (10th-11th centuries), specifically Prayers 92 (The Semantron), 93 (The Holy Myron), 94 (Sleep in Death), and 95 (Renewed by You with Eternal Life). These concluding chapters present a sustained reflection on death and the believer's transition from earthly to heavenly life. While Gregory's work is widely known for its penitential character, these prayers are distinguished by a pronounced religious-philosophical dimension, revealing how prayer can function as a medium of doctrinal instruction and spiritual preparation for death.
The paper offers an analysis of these prayers through three interconnected perspectives—glorification, confession, and supplication—to show how Gregory constructs a theological understanding of death within a liturgical and devotional framework. First, glorification introduces the theme of death through the sound of the bell, interpreted as a call to those who have died in sinful ignorance. Gregory compares its guidance to that of the Sabek tree, whose wood evokes the cross-shaped semantron and symbolizes the salvific power of the Cross. The bell is further described as a ʻbridge of yearning,ʼ enabling the passage of virtuous souls from the earthly realm to the divine. Its sound is also likened to the trumpet of the resurrection that awakens humanity from the sleep of death.
Second, confession emphasizes the necessity of acknowledging sin as a prerequisite for atonement. In the concluding section, Gregory moves from torment and despair toward the mystical hope of salvation, expressed through the metaphor of the ʻtwo dumb eyes,ʼ which unite repentance with hope and charity.
Finally, supplication represents the culminating act of repentance and the sinner's appeal for divine mercy. By confronting mortality and the suffering associated with death, these final prayers transform anguish into a plea for divine compassion.