Vatican Radio has interviewed Mikael Minasyan, the Armenian ambassador to the Holy See, over Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to Armenia and the expectations of the long-awaited trip.
Confirming the earlier media reports that the Pontific is due in the country in late June, the ambassador said that the entire nation is looking forward to the visit to thank him for the warm-hearted attitude to the Armenians.
What kind of Armenia is the Pope expected to find?
Today, Armenia is a young and dynamic state which this year is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union. Young as a state but having an ancient history, Armenia is confronting [challenges] with confidence, building the power of its identity, which is so demanded in today’s globalized world. The Pope will find an Armenia which is looking to the future, trying to overcome the planned economy’s complicated heritage and putting the emphasis on technologies, with a special focus on education. It is the Armenia, which having survived many pains in the past, is striving for peace, especially in our region.
What is the geopolitical situation in the region today?
My last remark actually addressed the situation in the region we live in. Armenia confronts many humanitarian disasters that have struck the Middle East and the Caucasus. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which has since 1994 been experiencing the tragedy of ceasefire violations, faced attacks against the backdrop of the international community’s silence. The episodes we have become the eye-witnesses of cannot but remind our population of the incidents in Anatolia 100 years ago, i.e. – the Armenian Genocide, or everything else that continues to happen to the Middle East Christian communities which are on the verge of disappearance. Armenia has, over the past years, hosted Christian Syrians on its land, and we have done the maximum within our power [to meet their needs]. Our solidarity with the Christian world and peace in our country will be discussed with the Pope in the course of his visit, and a joint prayer will be delivered for the special commitment to have a better world.