Srboy Hōrn Meroy Grigori Narekay vanitsʻ vanakani Matean oghbergutʻean

The Matean oghbergutʻean, or Book of Lamentations, is the masterwork of the 10th-century Armenian mystic and poet Saint Grigor Narekatsʻi. This foundational text of Armenian literature consists of ninety-five prayers written in the final years of the author's life, serving as a profound theological meditation on the relationship between humanity and the divine. The work has remained central to Armenian spiritual life and liturgical practice for over a millennium, representing the pinnacle of medieval Armenian intellectual achievement.

This specific 1868 edition was published in Constantinople by Tpagrutʻiwn Hovsepʻ G. Gavafean. During the 19th century, the revival of classical Armenian texts became a significant cultural project for the Armenian diaspora and the intelligentsia in Ottoman lands. By printing this edition, the Gavafean press aimed to preserve and circulate Narekatsʻi’s dense, complex classical Armenian for a contemporary audience, ensuring that the ascetic beauty of the original text remained accessible during a period of shifting national and cultural identity.