Thursday, 27th February, St Gregory of Narek, abbot and doctor of the Church. c. 950-1003, was a monk of the Armenian Church, a mystic and poet. His best known writing is ‘Lamentations’ also called simply ‘Narek’, a collection of 95 prayers, each with the title ‘Conversation with God from the depth of the heart’. Pope Francis declared Gregory a doctor of the Church in 2015.
Saturday, 1st March, St. David, is the patron saint of Wales, where he was an abbot and bishop in the sixth century. Several Irish saints were his pupils and he influenced monastic development in Ireland. He died in 601.