Gems of San Lazzaro Polyester Prayers of Saint Gregory of

Prayers of Saint Gregory of Narek

From 1658 to 1660

spiritually inspired works of both renowned and

Mesrop Mashots invented the Armenian alphabet

two significant events were fundamental in strengthening national identity

Gems of San Lazzaro Polyester Prayers of Saint Gregory ofSan Lazzaro is a small island which has been home to the monastery of the Mekhitarists, an Armenian Catholic congregation, since 1717. San Lazzaro is usually ranked as the third largest collection of Armenian manuscripts in the world after the Matenadaran in Yerevan, Armenia and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The manuscript collection is kept in the rotunda shaped tower, called the Manuscript Room. The manuscript collection of San Lazzaro