Pope Francis’ homage at the Tzitzernakaberd
memorial in Yerevan was sealed by the heart wrenching melody of flutes. In the
distance a snow-covered Mt Ararat was visible, its grey stones a reminder of
the countless victims of the “Great Evil” ( Metz Yehghern ) that
ruthlessly decimated the Armenian people a century ago. A terrifying
extermination, which just hours before his visit to the monument, in the
presidential palace, the Pontiff had defined as a “genocide”, sharply articulating the word. It was a
genocide from which, he recalled, the great powers looked the other way away,
as then occurred in the other two major exterminations of the last century,
perpetrated through Nazism and Communism. It
is important to build upon this memory today, without watering it down or
forgetting it, because it is the source of peace and of the future, as the
Pontiff noted, signing the guest book after praying at the monument where an
eternal flame burns. Those heartfelt words summed up the significance of the
visit through which Francis, who was hosted in Etchmiadzin by Karekin II, once again paid homage to the Armenian people and reinforced the
ecumenical dialogue with the Apostolic Church which has grown particularly in
recent years, also with the exchange of visits. Thus, a memory on which to build the
future, in search of peace. Memory, indeed was indicated by the Pope as the
foundation of this building, along with faith and merciful love, in the homily
during the Mass celebrated in Gyumri for the small Catholic community: both
personal memory and also that of the people; a faith which does not belong to
the past but which is constantly “born and reborn from a life-giving encounter
with Jesus”; a love that tirelessly seeks to find paths of communion and create
bridges of unity in order to overcome division. The
Pontiff’s first gesture upon his arrival was a visit to Holy Etchmiadzin, where
he prayed with Karekin II along with the bishops and faithful of the Apostolic
Church. Christ is the sun of the Armenian people, the Pope said, recalling that
at the beginning of the fourth century the country was the first nation to be
declared Christian, in anticipation of the decrees of tolerance that emanated
in the Roman Empire after the last great persecution. Faith in Christ, Pope
Bergoglio added, is not “a garment to be donned or doffed”, but rather “an
essential part of its identity”: a gift to be accepted and preserved, as the
Armenian people have done over the passage of time and even at the cost of the
“eloquent and holy sign of martyrdom”. The
world waits for Christians to bear witness to fraternity and for this reason
the ecumenical journey has now taken on an “ exemplary value” even beyond the
confines of Christianity. Indeed, it calls for constant “appreciation for all
that unites us” and prevents the “exploitation and manipulation of faith”. This
same appeal resonated from the Pope with even greater emphasis in the address
he then delivered in the presidential palace. It is in fact of vital importance
that men and women of faith “join forces to isolate those who use religion to
promote war, oppression and violent persecution”, which exploit and manipulate
in the holy name of God. G.M.V….
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis participated in a prayer service at the Tzitzernakaberd Memorial to the Metz Yeghern, or ‘Great Evil’, in Armenia on Saturday morning, offering an intercessory prayer and extensive silent prayer for the dead.
The ecumenical prayer service, held in memory of those fallen in the massacre of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire in 1915, consisted in the Our Father prayer, the reading of two Biblical passages (Heb 10,32-36 & John 14,1-13), and an intercessory prayer by Pope Francis.
Also present at the prayer service was a small group of descendants of the Armenian refugees whom Pope Pius XI hosted at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo after the Metz Yeghern.
At the conclusion of the service, the Holy Father stopped briefly to bless and water a tree in remembrance of his visit to the Tzitzernakaberd Memorial.
Below, please find a Vatican Radio English translation of the Pope’s intercessory prayer:
Christ, who crowns your saints,
who fulfills the will of your faithful
and looks with love and tenderness upon your creatures,
hear us from your holy heavens,
by the intercession of the holy Generatrix of God
and by the prayer of your saints
and those whom we remember today.
Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy.
Forgive us, expiate and remit our sins.
Make us worthy to glorify you with thankful hearts,
together with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Bulletin for 06/26/2016
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday met with Armenia’s political, diplomatic and civil society representatives, recalling both the genocide suffered by the nation a century ago and the suffering of Christians around the world today.
The Pope’s poignant words came at the presidential palace in Yerevan on the first day of his pastoral visit to the country.
Philippa Hitchen reports:
As he greeted the Armenian president, Serzh Sargsyan, and the nation’s political leaders, Pope Francis spoke of the rich history and natural beauty of Armenia, believed by some to be the location of the biblical garden of Eden.
He talked of the depth of faith in this first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion, but he also spoke of the drama and tragedy that Armenians have endured throughout the past centuries. In particular he recalled last year’s centenary of the massacre, known as Metz Yeghern or Great Evil when over a million and a half Armenians were killed by Ottoman military forces. He called it a tragedy, made possible by twisted racial, ideological or religious aims, and, as he did a year ago, he departed from his prepared text to add the words “that genocide”, a word which Turkish authorities continue to deny.
Today, the Pope continued, Christians – perhaps even more than at the time of the first martyrs – experience discrimination and persecution for the mere fact of professing their faith. It is essential, he insisted, that political leaders work to end such suffering and conflict, protecting especially the victims of aggression, while promoting justice and sustainable development.
The Pope concluded by urging Armenians to do all they can to promote unity and overcome tensions with their neighbours, favouring full religious freedom, respect for minorities and the full participation of all in the life of society.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope 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 t o 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.
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.
(from Vatican Radio)…