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Francis never one to shy from speaking his mind – The Independent

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pope speakPope Francis denounced what he called the ideologically twisted and planned “genocide” of Armenians by Ottoman-era Turks a century ago as he arrived in Armenia on Friday for a deeply symbolic visit to mark the centenary of the massacre and pay homage to the country’s steadfast Christian faith.

In the most carefully watched speech of his three-day trip, Francis ad-libbed the politically charged word “genocide” to his prepared text that had conspicuously left it out, listing the Armenian genocide alongside the Holocaust and Stalinism.

And rather than merely repeat what had said last year — that the slaughter was “considered the first genocide of the 20th century” — Francis declared it a genocide flat out, setting the stage for another Turkish protest after it withdrew its ambassador last year and accused Francis of spreading lies.

“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,” he said.

“It’s so sad how, in this case and in the other two, the great international powers looked the other way,” he added, referring to the subsequent horrors of Nazism and Stalinism.

In the run-up to the visit, the Vatican had refrained from using the term “genocide,” mindful of Turkish opposition to the political and financial implications of the word given Armenian claims for reparations.

But Francis, never one to shy from speaking his mind, added the word at the last minute in a speech at the presidential palace to President Serzh Sargsyan, Armenian political and religious leaders and the diplomatic corps.

They gave him a standing ovation.

“One cannot but believe in the triumph of justice when in 100 years … the message of justice is being conveyed to mankind from the heart of the Catholic world,” marveled President Sargsyn in his speech to the pope.

Many historians consider the massacres of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians genocide. Turkey rejects the term, says the death figure is inflated and that people died on both sides as the Ottoman Empire collapsed amid World War I.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Francis always speaks of the need for reconciliation and that his declaration of a genocide must be taken in the context of recognizing a past horror to then move on in friendship and reconciliation. Lombardi denied that the Vatican’s diplomatic speechwriters had intentionally left the word out, saying they had intentionally left it up to the pope to decide what to say.

In a largely Orthodox land where Catholics are a minority, Armenians have been genuinely honored to welcome a pope who has long championed the Armenian cause from his time as an archbishop in Argentina and now as leader of the 1.2-billion strong Catholic Church. His 2015 declaration that the massacres were considered a “genocide” sealed their affection for him.

“I shook the pope’s hand but didn’t have the time to kiss it,” 42-year-old Yerevan resident Nazik Sargsyan said Friday as Francis arrived. “I’m sure God’s blessing has come down on me with that handshake.”

Small groups of residents lined his motorcade route, and a gaggle of schoolchildren wearing white T-shirts and yellow neckerchiefs — the colors of the Vatican flag — greeted him at the airport with a big banner written in Italian: “Armenia Welcomes Pope Francis.”

In his initial remarks upon arrival in the ornate Armenian Apostolic Church in Etchmiadzin, Francis praised Armenia for becoming the first nation to declare Christianity the state religion in 301 and for keeping alive the “light of faith” even in its darkest times.

With the Apostolic patriarch Karekin II by his side, Francis urged all Christians to unite to prevent religion from being exploited and manipulated today, a reference to the current-day Islamic extremist attacks on Christians in the Middle East.

“It is vitally important that all those who declare their faith in God join forces to isolate those who use religion to promote war, oppression and violent persecution, exploiting and manipulating the holy name of God,” he said.

The Vatican has long cheered the Armenian cause, holding up the poor nation of three million mostly Orthodox Christians as a bastion of faith and martyrdom in a largely Muslim region.

President Sargsyan, Karekin and a few other officials greeted Francis at the Yerevan airport in a low-key welcome ceremony. A girls’ choir serenaded and the pope, patriarch and president then walked behind a goose-stepping military official along a red carpet into the airport’s VIP lounge before heading to Echmiadzin, the seat of the Oriental Orthodox church where Francis will stay as a guest of Karekin.

“Blessed is the hour when the feet of Pope Francis touched our soil!” exclaimed local resident Simon Samsonya as Francis arrived. “He won the love of the Armenian people with his message at the St. Peter’s Cathedral on the eve of the 100 years anniversary of the genocide.”

Francis will have another opportunity to pay respects to the victims of the slaughter when he visits Armenia’s genocide memorial on Saturday. He caps his visit Sunday with a visit to a monastery on the border with Turkey. There, he will free a dove of peace in the direction of Mt. Ararat, the mythological landing place of Noah’s Ark and a place of sacred importance to Armenians.

The sounds of Armenian duduk were heard during Pope Francis’ visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial,

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Pope at Armenin genocideYEREVAN. – The sounds of Armenian duduk were heard during Pope Francis’ visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial, on Saturday morning.

Duduk masters Djivan Gasparyan, Gevorg Dabaghyan, and Kamo Seyranyan performed near the Eternal Flame.

Afterward, the Holy Father stopped briefly to bless and water a tree in remembrance of his visit to the Memorial.

Pope Francis hands over crosses to children who welcomed him at Yerevan airport

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Children crossYEREVAN. – Pope Francis handed over crosses to Ani and Robert – children who were the first to welcome his at Zvartnots airport with apricots and lavash.

9-year-old Ani is a pianist and the winner of international competitions. She says it was a great honor to welcome Pope Francis during his visit to the first Christian nation.

“Pope Francis blessed this cross. I like it very much and will never put it aside. I hope that Pope’s visit will bring peace to Artsakh,” Ani said.

Robert also said he was happy to welcome the pontiff.

“I am proud to welcome Pope with Armenian apricots,” he added.

Pope Francis to visit genocide memorial in Armenia

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Pope Francis meets the head of Armenia’s Orthodox Church, Karekin II, at the Vatican last year. Photograph: Gregorio Borgia/AP

Pope Francis meets the head of Armenia’s Orthodox Church, Karekin II, at the Vatican last year. Photograph: Gregorio Borgia/AP

Pontiff expected to avoid use of word genocide to avoid rift between Turkey and Vatican,

Pope Francis is expected to avoid using the word “genocide” when he visits a memorial to the massacre of up to 1.5 million Armenians this weekend.

His notable change of tone from a statement last year that the wholesale killing of Armenian Christians between 1915 and 1923 was the “first genocide of the 20th century” is aimed at avoiding a repeat of the ensuing diplomatic rift between Turkey and the Vatican.

The pontiff’s three-day visit to Armenia, which begins on Friday, includes prayers at Tsitsernakaberd, widely known as the genocide memorial and museum, in the capital, Yerevan.

The official programme for the trip, released this week by the Vatican, refers to Tsitsernakaberd as the “memorial of the massacres”. The pope’s spokesperson said the Armenian phrase Medz Yeghern, which translates as the “great evil” or the “great catastrophe”, was preferred to genocide.

“Why is there an obsession to use the word ‘genocide’ and ask about it in all the questions?” Federico Lombardi asked journalists at a briefing on the trip this week.

“We know what happened. None of us is denying that there were horrible massacres. We recognise this. We are going to the memorial precisely to remember this but we don’t want this to become a trap of political and ideological discussions,” he said.

The phrase Medz Yeghern has been used by some world leaders, including Barack Obama.

After the pope explicitly referred to events in Armenia a century ago as a genocide, Turkey withdrew its envoy to the Vatican for 10 months.

Despite Turkey’s vehement rejection of the label – and its fury at other countries’ use of the word – president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has acknowledged the mass killings had “inhumane consequences”.

Turkey continues to deny that Armenians were systematically targeted in the wave of killing which began in April 1915. Troops of the Ottoman Empire also carried out rape, torture, the abduction of children, forced conversion to Islam and the destruction of churches over eight years. Hundreds of thousands were forced to flee.

A century on, the population of Armenia is 3.3 million, with three times as many people of Armenian descent living outside the country. The diaspora includes 1.5m in the US, 2.3m in Russia, and 18,000 in the UK.

Twenty-two countries have formally recognised the events of a century ago as a genocide, although Obama has avoided the word.

Lombardi told reporters that the purpose of the papal visit was to demonstrate Pope Francis’s closeness to the people of Armenia, and to cement ties with the Orthodox church, to which the vast majority of Armenians belong. Less than 10% of the population are Roman Catholics.

As well as visiting the Tsitsernakaberd memorial, the pope is scheduled to hold an open-air mass in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, and visit the Khor Virap monastery near the closed border with Turkey.

Francis has also appeared to row back on an earlier description of the persecution and killing of Christians in the Middle East as “a form of genocide”.

Speaking to students in Rome at the weekend, he said: “I want to say clearly, I do not like it when one speaks of a genocide of Christians, for instance in the Middle East. This is reductionism. The truth is a persecution which leads Christians to have fidelity to the consistency of their faith.”

Last year, when visiting Bolivia, he said: “We are dismayed to see how in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world many of our brothers and sisters are persecuted, tortured and killed for their faith in Jesus. In this third world war, waged piecemeal, which we are now experiencing, a form of genocide is taking place, and it must end.”

Source: theguardian.com

Pope speaks of Armenian ‘genocide’ in Yerevan visit

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pope speak armenian genocidePope Francis has again described the mass killing of Armenians under Ottoman Turkish rule in World War One as “genocide,” the BBC reports. 

He made the remarks during a visit to the Armenian capital, Yerevan. He made a similar statement last year, prompting Turkish anger.

Armenia and many historians say up to 1.5 million Armenian Christians were killed by Ottoman forces in 1915.

Turkey has always disputed that figure and rejects using the term “genocide”.

It says the deaths were part of a civil conflict triggered by WW1.

The row over characterising the killings has continued to sour relations between Armenia and Turkey, as well as drawing in other countries such as Germany, whose parliament recently declared the killings to be genocide.

In an address to Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan and the diplomatic corps, the Pope said “the genocide” marked “the start of a sad series of great catastrophes of the last century”.

POPE VISIT UPDATE: May God bless and protect Armenia – Pope Francis

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Pope Viste 7Pope Francis spoke to Armenian civil authorities, including President Serž Sargsyan and the diplomatic corps, on Friday in the capital Yerevan on his 14th Apostolic Journey abroad.

In remarks prepared for the occasion and delivered in Italian, the Holy Father recalled the Armenian president’s visit to the Vatican last year for the centenary of the Metz Yeghern (or ‘Great Evil’). He said, “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.”

He also paid homage to the Armenian people “who, illuminated by the light of the Gospel, even at the most tragic moments of their history, have always found in the cross and resurrection of Christ the strength to rise again and take up their journey anew with dignity”.

Below, please find the official English translation of the Pope’s address:

Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to Civil Authorities and the Diplomatic Corps

Yerevan, 24 June 2016

Mr President,

Honourable Authorities,

Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It gives me great joy to be here, to set foot on the soil of this beloved land of Armenia, to visit a people of ancient and rich traditions, a people that has given courageous testimony to its faith and suffered greatly, yet has shown itself capable of constantly being reborn.

“Our turquoise sky, our clear waters, the flood of light, the summer sun and the proud winter borealis… our age-old stones … our ancient etched books which have become a prayer” (ELISE CIARENZ, Ode to Armenia). These are among the powerful images that one of your illustrious poets offers us to illustrate the rich history and natural beauty of Armenia. They sum up the rich legacy and the glorious yet dramatic experience of a people and their deep-seated love of their country.

I am most grateful to you, Mr President, for your kind words of welcome in the name of the government and people of Armenia, and for your gracious invitation that has made it possible to reciprocate the visit you made to the Vatican last year. There you attended the solemn celebration in Saint Peter’s Basilica, together with Their Holinesses Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of All Armenians, and Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, and His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, recently deceased. The occasion was the commemoration of the centenary of the Metz Yeghérn, 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.

I pay homage to the Armenian people who, illuminated by the light of the Gospel, even at the most tragic moments of their history, have always found in the cross and resurrection of Christ the strength to rise again and take up their journey anew with dignity. This shows the depth of their Christian faith and its boundless treasures of consolation and hope. Having seen the pernicious effects to which hatred, prejudice and the untrammelled desire for dominion led in the last century, I express my lively hope that humanity will learn from those tragic experiences the need to act with responsibility and wisdom to avoid the danger of a return to such horrors. May all join in striving to ensure that whenever conflicts emerge between nations, dialogue, the enduring and authentic quest of peace, cooperation between states and the constant commitment of international organizations will always prevail, with the aim of creating a climate of trust favourable for the achievement of lasting agreements.

https://youtu.be/EEFjilpTiUo

The Catholic Church wishes to cooperate actively with all those who have at heart the future of civilization and respect for the rights of the human person, so that spiritual values will prevail in our world and those who befoul their meaning and beauty will be exposed as such. In this regard, it is vitally important that all those who declare their faith in God join forces to isolate those who use religion to promote war, oppression and violent persecution, exploiting and manipulating the holy name of God.

Today Christians in particular, perhaps even more than at the time of the first martyrs, in some places experience discrimination and persecution for the mere fact of professing their faith. At the same time, all too many conflicts in various parts of the world remain unresolved, causing grief, destruction and forced migrations of entire peoples. It is essential that those responsible for the future of the nations undertake courageously and without delay initiatives aimed at ending these sufferings, making their primary goal the quest for peace, the defence and acceptance of victims of aggression and persecution, the promotion of justice and sustainable development. The Armenian people have experienced these situations firsthand; they have known suffering and pain; they have known persecution; they preserved not only the memory of past hurts, but also the spirit that has enabled them always to start over again. I encourage you not to fail to make your own precious contribution to the international community.

This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Armenia’s independence. It is a joyful occasion, but also an opportunity, in cherishing the goals already achieved, to propose new ones for the future. The celebration of this happy anniversary will be all the more significant if it becomes for all Armenians, both at home and in the diaspora, a special moment for gathering and coordinating energies for the sake of promoting the country’s civil and social development of the country, one that is equitable and inclusive. This will involve constant concern for ensuring respect for the moral imperatives of equal justice for all and solidarity with the less fortunate (cf. JOHN PAUL II, Farewell Address from Armenia, 27 September 2001: Insegnamenti XXIX/2 [2001], 489). The history of your country runs parallel to its Christian identity preserved over the centuries. That identity, far from impeding a healthy secularity of the state, instead requires and nourishes it, favouring the full participation of all in the life of society, freedom of religion and respect for minorities. A spirit of unity between all Armenians and a growing commitment to find helpful means of overcoming tension with neighbouring countries, will facilitate the realization of these important goals, and inaugurate for Armenia an age of true rebirth.

The Catholic Church is present in this country with limited human resources, yet readily offers her contribution to the development of society, particularly through her work with the poor and vulnerable in the areas of healthcare and education, but also in the specific area of charitable assistance. This is seen in the work carried out in the past twenty-five years by the Redemptoris Mater Hospital in Ashotzk, the educational institute in Yerevan, the initiatives of Caritas Armenia and the works managed by the various religious congregations.

May God bless and protect Armenia, a land illumined by the faith, the courage of the martyrs and that hope which proves stronger than any suffering.

5:23pm: At the moment, the pontiffic is having a meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at the presidential palace.

 

05.34pm After greeting ceremonies, the Pope delivered an addresses at the Mother See, praying for the cathedral and the entire Christian community across the globe.


“For Armenia, faith in Christ has not been like a garment to be donned or doffed as circumstances or convenience dictate, but an essential part of its identity, a gift of immense significance, to be accepted with joy, preserved with great effort and strength, even at the cost of life itself,” he said.


4.45pm: Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and Pope Francis embraced each other in front of the altar.

4:20pm: Pope Francis and Catholicos Garegin II are making welcoming addresses.

16.05: Accompanied by Armenian clergymen and cardinals, the Pope arrived in St Echmiadzin.

 

At the Mother Cathedral in Armenia’s religious capital, the pontific was greeted by children holding up the flags of Armenia and the Holy See of Vatican, as well as church deacons.

 

Many parishioners who wanted to meet the pontific also visited the Mother See. Entering the Cathedral, Pope Francis kissed the holy cross and the New Testament. A spiritual choir performed a concert to greet the Pope.

 

 

3:25pm: At the Zvartnots airport, Pope Francis has been met by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and his wife Rita Sargsyan, Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian, Armenian Ambassador to Vatican Mikael Minasyan, Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan, Archbishop Pargev Martrosyan, Archbishop Khazhak Parsamyan and other Armenian clergymen.

In a statement on its microblog on Twitter, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry says about 600 journalists have been accredited to  cover the visit. Half of them are representatives of foreign media.

The plane bringing Pope Francis to Armenia touched down at the Zvartnots International Airport at 2:40pm Yerevan time.

After an official greeting ceremony, the pontiff will head to St Echmiadzin to serve a holy Mass,

In a statement issued ahead of his historic journey, the Pope described the trip as a visit to the world’s first Christian nation. “I am coming to the enigmatic heights of Armenia as a fellow brother in pursuit of seeing your faces, praying with you and sharing the gift of friendship,” read the pontiff’s address.

This the second papal journey to Armenia. In September 2001, Pope John-Paul II visited the country to attend the ceremonies dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of adopting Christianity.

 

Pope Arrive Armenia “The Visit to the First Christian Nation

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Pope arrive armeniaChronicle of events: Pope visits Armenia

The plane of the pontiff landed at Yerevan’s Zvartnots international airport on June 24.The official motto of his visit is “The Visit to the First Christian Nation”. Armenian News-NEWS.am presents details of the visit.

  • President of Armenian Serzh Sargsyan with his spouse and Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II met the Holy Father near the plane.
  • Catholicos Karekin II and Pope Francis delivered speeches and read psalms in Etchmiadzin Cathedral.
  • Catholicos Karekin II: Pope’s visit is a renewed testament to the relationships of our Churches. Our people remember with gratitude the solemn Mass celebrated in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Basilica of St. Peter.
  • Pope Francis: For Armenia, faith in Christ has not been like a garment to be donned or doffed as circumstances or convenience dictate, but an essential part of its identity.
  • The Central Bank of Armenia has made a commemorative medal dedicated to His Holiness Pope Francis ‘s visit to the Republic of Armenia.

Pope very rarely has such heavy agenda, say foreign journalists

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JournalistThe foreign journalists accompanying Pope Francis during his trip to Armenia admit that the pontific’s agenda is not normally so busy as now.

Speaking to Tert.am, Andrea Gagliarduci, an Italian journalist and analyst (Catholik News) who always covers papal visits and meetings, said the Pope very seldom has such a busy schedule.

She said they have visited with a full team to attend and cover all the ceremonies and events to be arranged on the sidelines of the visit.  The Italian journalist, who represents a Catholic media outlet, said the current visit is of special significance for them, especially after the 2015 holy Mass in Vatican (when the Pope used the word “genocide” to refer to the World War I ear massacres of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire).

An Associated Press reporter, who is of Georgian descent and whose name is Tako, says journalists’ work is responsible and important.

A Russian reporter said that the global interest in the Pope’s historic visit to Armenia is understandable. He is grateful for favorable working conditions and expressed hope that good conditions will be ensured during the coming two days. Russia’s catholic community would never forgive Russian media outlets for failing to cover the papal visit to Armenia.

“This is a significant event for believers.  The Pope has said you are the first Christian people so it is good such events are taking place here,” says Sergey.

Armenia: Pope Francis welcomed in Etchmiadzin

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Pope 24ETCHMIADZIN. – Pope Francis accompanied by Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II has arrived in Etchmiadzin.

Hundreds of pilgrims have assembled Friday at Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, to welcome Pope Francis, the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informed from then scene.

The pilgrims are holding flags and scarves symbolizing the Papal visit to Armenia, and a large number of pilgrims have arrived from abroad.

The Pope’s plane recently landed at Zvartnots International Airport, in capital city Yerevan.