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THE POPE RECEIVES HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II AND RECALLS ARMENIA'S 20TH
CENTURY MARTYRS
Vatican City, 8 May 2014 (VIS) - "In the person of Your Holiness I
extend my respectful and affectionate thoughts to the members of the
family of the Catholicate of All Armenians throughout the world. It is
a special grace for us to be able to meet in this house, close to the
tomb of the Apostle Peter, and to share a moment of fraternity and
prayer".
Pope Francis thus began his greeting to His Holiness Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, in a meeting that
took place this morning. He went on to mention how the links between
the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Church of Rome have been
consolidated during recent years thanks to events such as John Paul
II's trip to Armenia in 2001, the presence of the Patriarch in the
Vatican on various occasions such as the official visit to Benedict
XVI in 2008 and the beginning of Pope Francis' ministry as bishop of
Rome in 2013.
"However", he added, I would like to recall another celebration, rich
in meaning, in which Your Holiness took part: the Commemoration of the
Witnesses of faith in the twentieth century, which took place within
the context of the Great Jubilee of 2000. In truth, the number of
disciples who have shed blood for Christ in the tragic events of the
last century is certainly higher than that of the martyrs of the first
centuries, and the sons of the Armenian nation have a place of honour
in this martyrology. The mystery of the Cross, so dear to the memory
of your people, represented in the splendid stone crosses that adorn
every corner of your land, has been lived by countless sons of yours,
directly participating in the chalice of the Passion. Their witness,
both tragic and lofty, must not be forgotten".
"The suffering of Christians during recent decades has also made a
unique and inestimable contribution to the cause of unity between
Christ's disciples. As in the ancient Church the blood of martyrs
became the seed of new Christians, in our days too the blood of many
Christians has become the seed of unity. The ecumenism of suffering
and martyrdom is a powerful reminder to walk the path of
reconciliation between the Churches, decisively and trustfully
surrendering ourselves to the action of the Spirit. Let us feel the
duty of following this path of fraternity also for the debt of
gratitude we have towards the suffering of so many of our brothers,
which has become salvific by being united with the passion of Christ".
In this respect, the Pope thanked Karekin II for his effective support
for ecumenical dialogue, and in particular the work of the Joint
Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and
the oriental Orthodox Churches, and for the significant theological
contribution to the Commission offered by the representatives of the
Catholicate of All Armenians.
"Let us pray for each other", concluded the bishop of Rome. "May the
Holy Spirit enlighten us and guide us towards longed-for day in which
we may share in the Eucharist. And may the All Holy Mother of God
intercede for the Armenian population, now and for ever".
Following the meeting, Pope Francis and His Holiness Karekin prayed
together in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel.
CENTURY MARTYRS
Vatican City, 8 May 2014 (VIS) - "In the person of Your Holiness I
extend my respectful and affectionate thoughts to the members of the
family of the Catholicate of All Armenians throughout the world. It is
a special grace for us to be able to meet in this house, close to the
tomb of the Apostle Peter, and to share a moment of fraternity and
prayer".
Pope Francis thus began his greeting to His Holiness Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, in a meeting that
took place this morning. He went on to mention how the links between
the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Church of Rome have been
consolidated during recent years thanks to events such as John Paul
II's trip to Armenia in 2001, the presence of the Patriarch in the
Vatican on various occasions such as the official visit to Benedict
XVI in 2008 and the beginning of Pope Francis' ministry as bishop of
Rome in 2013.
"However", he added, I would like to recall another celebration, rich
in meaning, in which Your Holiness took part: the Commemoration of the
Witnesses of faith in the twentieth century, which took place within
the context of the Great Jubilee of 2000. In truth, the number of
disciples who have shed blood for Christ in the tragic events of the
last century is certainly higher than that of the martyrs of the first
centuries, and the sons of the Armenian nation have a place of honour
in this martyrology. The mystery of the Cross, so dear to the memory
of your people, represented in the splendid stone crosses that adorn
every corner of your land, has been lived by countless sons of yours,
directly participating in the chalice of the Passion. Their witness,
both tragic and lofty, must not be forgotten".
"The suffering of Christians during recent decades has also made a
unique and inestimable contribution to the cause of unity between
Christ's disciples. As in the ancient Church the blood of martyrs
became the seed of new Christians, in our days too the blood of many
Christians has become the seed of unity. The ecumenism of suffering
and martyrdom is a powerful reminder to walk the path of
reconciliation between the Churches, decisively and trustfully
surrendering ourselves to the action of the Spirit. Let us feel the
duty of following this path of fraternity also for the debt of
gratitude we have towards the suffering of so many of our brothers,
which has become salvific by being united with the passion of Christ".
In this respect, the Pope thanked Karekin II for his effective support
for ecumenical dialogue, and in particular the work of the Joint
Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and
the oriental Orthodox Churches, and for the significant theological
contribution to the Commission offered by the representatives of the
Catholicate of All Armenians.
"Let us pray for each other", concluded the bishop of Rome. "May the
Holy Spirit enlighten us and guide us towards longed-for day in which
we may share in the Eucharist. And may the All Holy Mother of God
intercede for the Armenian population, now and for ever".
Following the meeting, Pope Francis and His Holiness Karekin prayed
together in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel.