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The Vatican has released colorful stamp series celebrating Pope’s trips in 2016, among them visits to Mexico, Poland, Greece, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Sweden.
The stamp dedicated to Armenia shows Pope against the background of Tsitsernakaberd – the memorial complex honoring the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The official website of the Vatican noted that the author of the stamp is Daniela Longo.
“God’s ignorance leads to violence.” Shaykh Ahmad Al-Tayeb, the great Imam of Al Azhar is on the same wavelength as Pope Francis. The two hug them several times, they call themselves brothers. In the great university hall, a point of reference for the Sunni world, they talk to participants at the International Peace Conference. And peace is the word that is most frequently quoted. He also uses the speaker to give the floor to Francis, the “Pope of Peace who presents his allegiance.” Bergoglio greeted the great imam calling him brother and thanking him for having devised this encounter between religions for peace. A discourse of frankly breathing is that of Francis, who points above all to education “because there will be no peace without proper education of younger generations. And there will be no adequate education for young people today if their training offerings will not be well-respected in the nature of man. “
An education that becomes wisdom when it is able to make the best of each one when it is able to overcome the temptation to stiffen or close itself, when it knows how to look to the past because “from the past learns that evil only arises from evil and Violence only violence, in a spiral that ends up imprisoning. “
Talk of dialogue, Pope Francis, of walking together “in the belief that the future of all depends on the encounter between religions and cultures”. Dialogue and meeting that have three fundamental pillars: “The duty of identity, the courage of alterity, and the sincerity of intentions. The duty of identity, because there is no real dialogue about ambiguity or about sacrificing good to please each other; The courage of alienity, because someone who is different from me, culturally or religiously, should not be seen and treated as an enemy but welcomed as a street companion, in the genuine conviction that the good of each one resides in the good of all; The sincerity of intentions, because dialogue, as an authentic expression of humankind, is not a strategy to achieve second ends, but a path of truth that deserves to be patiently undertaken to transform competition in collaboration. “
Francis reiterates his dear concepts, recalling that ” the only alternative to the civilization of the encounter is the incivility of the clash. And to really counter the barbarity of those who blow on hatred and incite to violence, it is necessary to accompany and mature generations that respond to the incendiary logic of evil with the patient’s growth of good: young people who, like well-planted trees, are rooted in the soil of History and, growing up to the High and next to each other, every day transform the polluted air of hate into the oxygen of the fraternity. “
Bergoglio hopes that this civilization of the encounter will be here, in Egypt, “from this sun-kissed land.” And he asks for the intercession of “Saint Francis of Assisi, who came to Egypt eight centuries ago and met Sultan Malik at Kamil.”
Earth kissed by the sun, a land of alliances where “over the centuries, differences of religion have constituted” a form of mutual enrichment in the service of the only national community . Different faiths have come together and various cultures have mingled, without confusion but acknowledging the importance of alliances for the common good. Alliances of this kind are urgent today. “
The Pope uses “as the symbol of the” Mount of the Covenant “which rises in this land. Sinai reminds us first of all that an authentic alliance on earth can not be ignored by Heaven, that humanity can not propose to meet in peace excluding God from the horizon, nor can it ascend to the mount to seize God . “
Point your finger against the paradox he wants, on the one hand relegate religion to the private and, on the other, confuse it with politics. “There is a risk,” says Pope Francis, “that religion is absorbed by the management of temporal affairs and tempted by the flattery of world powers which in fact make it instrumental.”
We need to look up, remember the ten words God gave to man on Mount Sinai. “At the center of the” ten words “, it turns to the men and peoples of all time, the command” do not kill “. And they are the leaders of the religions called to follow this command, “we,” the Pope still says, “are called upon to expose the violence that is abused by presumptuous sacredness , leveraging the absolutization of egoisms rather than the genuine opening to the” Absolute. We are required to denounce violations of human dignity and human rights, to bring to light attempts to justify any form of hatred in the name of religion and condemn them as idolatrous fake of God: His name is holy, He is God of Peace , God of salam. Therefore, only peace is holy, “he repeats as he had already done in the meeting People and religions summoned to Assisi last year,” and no violence can be perpetrated in the name of God, for he would profane his name. “
The Pope, repeatedly interrupted by the applause of the present, asks to repeat together, “From this earth of encounter between Heaven and earth, of alliances between peoples and believers, a” no “strong and clear to all forms of violence, Revenge and hatred committed in the name of religion or in the name of God. Together we affirm the incompatibility between violence and faith, between believing and hating. Together we declare the sacredness of every human life against any form of physical, social, educational or psychological violence. Faith that does not originate from a sincere heart and an authentic love to God Merciful is a form of conventional or social attachment that does not free man but crushes. Let’s say together: the more you grow in faith in God the more you grow in the love of your neighbor. “
And there is not only the denunciation of evil. “Without giving up conciliatory syncretism, our task is to pray for each other by asking God for the gift of peace, meeting, dialogue and promoting harmony in a spirit of collaboration and friendship,” emphasizes Francesco, adding: ” Come Christians, I am a Christian, we can not invoke God as the Father of all men if we refuse to act as brothers to some of the men who are created in the image of God. “
That against the arms race, “little or nothing is needed to raise the voice and run to rearm in order to protect itself” and recalls that ” today there is a need for peace-makers, not of arms , of peace-makers who are not provocateurs of conflict; Of firemen and not of incendiari; Of reconciliation preachers and not of destruction bandits. “
Denounce populisms and demagogues, “which certainly do not help to consolidate peace and stability: no violent incitement will guarantee peace, and any unilateral action that does not start constructive and shared processes is in fact a gift to the advocates of radicalism and violence » . And he explains that “in order to prevent conflicts and build peace, it is essential to strive for the removal of poverty and exploitation situations, where extremes are easier to capture, and to block money and arms flows towards those who are fomenting violence . Even more to the root, it is necessary to stop the proliferation of weapons that, if produced and traded, will sooner or later be used as well. Only by making the turbulent maneuvers that feed cancer can be transparent if they can prevent real causes. This urgent and heavy commitment is held by those responsible for the nations, the institutions and the information, as we are responsible for civilizations, summoned by God, from history and from the future, to initiate, in their own field, peace processes, not subtracting By throwing solid bases of alliance between peoples and states. “
Source: http://www.famigliacristiana.it/articolo/papa-in-egitto.aspx
Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged people to hold fast in their “fearful hearts” to faith despite all the wars, sickness and hatred in the world, acknowledging on Easter Sunday that many wonder where God is amid so much evil and suffering.
Tens of thousands of faithful braved heavy security checks — and, later, a brief downpour from what had been sunny skies — to enter St. Peter’s Square where Francis celebrated Mass on the steps leading to St. Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Francis on Easter Sunday gave his tradition Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message from the central loggia of St Peter’s Basilica. In it he prayed that Risen Lord would walk beside those who are marginalized who are victimized by old and new forms of slavery. The Holy Father also prayed the Lord would bring peace to the Middle East, come to the aid of Ukraine, shed his blessing upon the continent of Europe and build bridges of dialogue in Latin America.
WBO middleweight former champion Armenian professional boxer Arthur Abraham has met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday, boxer’s spokesperson Siran Poghosyan told Panorama.am.
The Armenian boxer received the Pontiff’s blessings and gifted a signed glove to the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Poghosyan said.
Pope Francis has urged peace in the Middle East and offered comfort to those who lost loved ones to terrorism.
Delivering his traditional Christmas address on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on December 25, the pope called for guns to fall silent in Syria, saying “far too much blood has been spilled” in the nearly six-year conflict.
Citing those suffering in the Syrian war — especially during the “most awful battles” in Aleppo — he pressed the international community for a peaceful solution.
Pope Francis also urged Israelis and Palestinians to abandon hate and revenge.
In the speech that comes less than a week after a deadly terrorist attack in Berlin, the pope said he hoped for “peace to those who have lost a person dear to them as a result of brutal acts of terrorism.” The December 19 truck attack on a Berlin Christmas market left twelve people dead and injured dozens of others.
The pontiff also made reference to those who “continue to suffer from the consequences of the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” where a cease-fire has been officially in place since December 24 although both sides have accused each other of violations. Francis said that “a common resolve is urgently needed to bring relief to the population and to implement the commitments that have been made.”
The pope also called for an end to “fundamentalist terrorism” in Nigeria that he said “exploits even children,” a reference to child suicide-bombers.
Speaking in more general terms, Francis urged everyone to help the less fortunate, including migrants, refugees, and those swept up by social and economic upheavals.
There was a heavy police presence around St. Peter’s Square, where some 40,000 gathered for the pope’s annual message.
The entrance to the square has been protected by concrete barriers since the Berlin attack.
Journalism based on gossip or rumors is a form of “terrorism” and media that stereotype entire populations or foment fear of migrants are acting destructively, Pope Francis said on Thursday, Reuters reports.
According to the source, Francis, who made his comments in an address to leaders of Italy’s national journalists’ guild, said reporters had to go the extra mile to seek the truth, particularly in an age of round-the-clock news coverage.
Spreading rumors is an example of “terrorism, of how you can kill a person with your tongue”, he said. “This is even more true for journalists because their voice can reach everyone and this is a very powerful weapon.”
Francis, who has often strongly defended the rights of refugees and migrants, said journalism should not be used as a “weapon of destruction against persons and even entire peoples”.
“Neither should it foment fear before events like forced migration from war or from hunger,” he added.
Pope Francis thanked the President of Armenia and the Catholicos Karekin II, the Partriarch, the Catholic bishops and the people of Armenia for welcoming him as a pilgrim in fraternity and peace.
At a special Jubilee audience at St Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope reflected on his recent visit to Armenia, Vatican Radio reported.
“This past weekend I made a Pastoral Visit to Armenia, the first nation to embrace the Christian faith and a people which has remained faithful even in the midst of great trials,” the pontiff said.
Pope added that he would go to Georgia and Azerbaijan where he will “support every effort to encourage peace and reconciliation in a spirit of respect for all.”
“With gratitude for the welcome and fellowship showed me by the Armenian Apostolic Church, I ask the Virgin Mary to strengthen Christians everywhere to remain firm in the faith and to work for a society of ever greater justice and peace.”
BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN
While Armenians throughout the world were overjoyed with the landmark “pilgrimage” of His Holiness Pope Francis to the first Christian state, most people were unaware of the behind the scenes deliberations on the Armenian Genocide issue in the Vatican prior to his visit.
The Pope’s dual roles as Pontiff of the Catholic Church and head of the Vatican State occasionally create problems within and outside the walls of the Holy See, which is what happened during the Pope’s visit to Armenia last week.
After lengthy preparations and internal discussions, the Pope arrived in Armenia on June 24 ready to deliver a series of sermons and remarks over the course of his three-day visit. Surprisingly, none of his prepared speeches contained the words Armenian Genocide, but there were plenty of references to “tragedy, slaughter, terrible trial, and immense suffering.” His homilies repeatedly used the Armenian term “Meds Yeghern” (Great Crime) which was wrongly translated by the Vatican as “Great Evil.” The first indication of a change in terminology came prior to the Pope’s pastoral visit in a video address to the Armenian people, which did not mention the Armenian Genocide. Later on, during his visit to the Armenian Genocide Monument, the Pontiff did not write the words Armenian Genocide in the guest book, copying the text from a pre-prepared note card!
There may have been two reasons why the words Armenian Genocide had been avoided:
1) Since Pope Francis had already gone on record using the term “Armenian Genocide” during last April’s Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican officials had decided to deliver a new message of “peace and reconciliation.”
2) The Pontiff’s foreign policy advisors may have been reluctant to raise the Armenian Genocide issue once again after the Turkish government’s harsh reaction last year and withdrawal of its ambassador from the Vatican for 10 months.
Pope Francis, however, surprised everyone, when he departed from the text of his prepared remarks that had been already distributed to the media, by adding the word genocide to his address at the Presidential Palace in Yerevan on June 24. Here is what Pope Francis actually said while recalling his earlier sermon of April 12, 2015: “The occasion was the commemoration of the centenary of the Metz Yeghern, the ‘Great Evil’ that struck your people and caused the death of a vast multitude of persons. Sadly, that tragedy, that genocide, was the first of the deplorable series of catastrophes of the past century, made possible by twisted racial, ideological or religious aims that darkened the minds of the tormentors even to the point of planning the annihilation of entire peoples.”
Later that day, Father Federico Lombardi, Director of the Holy See’s Press Office, explained why Pope Francis deviated from his prepared text: “The Pope says what he finds appropriate, and no one decides what the Pontiff should say. The Pope had no reason to avoid the word ‘genocide’ during his trip to Armenia. The reality is clear and we never denied what the reality is.”
The Pontiff’s use of that single word in one speech did not escape the attention of Turkish authorities. Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli responded by accusing the Pope of having a “Crusader mentality.” Canikli went on to repeat the usual Turkish lies about the Armenian Genocide. Lombardi, the Pontiff’s spokesman, dismissed the Deputy Prime Minister’s criticism, stating that “the Pope is not doing Crusades. He has said no words against the Turkish people.”
Refusing to buckle under Turkish pressure, Pope Francis went on to sign a “Joint Declaration” with Catholicos Karekin II on June 26, 2016, which referenced the Vatican’s earlier acknowledgments of the Armenian Genocide: Pope Francis’s April 12, 2015 sermon and the “Joint Declaration” signed on Sept. 27, 2001 by Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin II. Another “Joint Communique” acknowledging the Armenian Genocide was signed on Nov. 29, 2000, by John Paul II and Karekin II.
During his return flight to Rome on June 26, an AFP journalist asked Pope Francis why he added the word genocide to his speech in Yerevan. The Pope explained in detail that genocide is the only word he has grown up with to describe the mass killings of Armenians. The Pope also mentioned his upcoming trip to Azerbaijan and Georgia from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.
Pope Francis approached his “pilgrimage” to Armenia with utmost honesty and spoke from his heart about the Armenian Genocide, ignoring the political calculations of his advisers and speechwriters. He preferred to conduct himself as a true man of God rather than a crafty politician!
Pope Francis on Sunday, June 26 said that he knew no word to describe the annihilation of Armenians other than “genocide” until he was elected as the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
On his way back from a three-day-visit to Armenia, the pope was asked about his U-turn decision to pronounce the term genocide during a reception with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, RIA reports.
“When referring to the destruction of the Armenian people, we used the term genocide in Argentina and installed a khachkar at the Buenos Aires Cathedral to commemorate the Armenian Genocide,” Francis said.
“Arriving in Rome, I heard the expression “the great evil” and was told that the term genocide was offensive. But I have always cited the three major genocides of the 20th century: The Armenian Genocide, that of Hitler and Stalin’s genocide.”
“When I was preparing for the holy mass last year (on April 12 when Francis commemorated the centennial of the Armenian Genocide – PAN), I found out that Saint John Paul II had earlier used that word and decided to cite him,” the pontiff said.
“It was not greeted well, with Turkey denouncing my decision and recalling its ambassador to the Vatican who, however, returned several months later.”
“I hadn’t initially included that word in my speech during a visit to the country, by after hearing the tone of the Armenian President’s speech, it would sound very strange if I did not repeat what I said a year ago,” he added.
Francis spent three days in Armenia from June 24 to June 26.
6:46pm The papal plane has taken off from the Yerevan international airport.
6:02pm Wrapping up his three-day visit to the world’s first Christian country, Pope Francis on Sunday evening headed to the Zvartnots International Airport on Sunday evening to fly back to Rome.
The pontific is accompanied by President Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, high-ranking clergymen and top government officials.
The Pope, who offered his Peace Prayer in Yerevan’s Republic Square on the first day of his visit, will be remembered in Armenia as a great philanthropist who never recoiled at voicing historical truths, condemning the Armenian Genocide and calling for peace over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Pope also stood out with his modest conduct and plain way of communicating with ordinary people in Armenia.
In the course of his historic journey, the Pope visited the Mother See of St Echmiadzin, the second largest city, Gyumri, and the monastery Khor Virap (where, together with the Armenian patriarch, he released doves towards Mount Ararat as a sign of peace).