VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis I on Tuesday offered his blessings to the Armenian nation after a brief meeting with Armenia’s Ambassador to the Vatican Mikael Minasyan.
The pope hosted a reception for ambassadors accredited to the Vatican and during the traditional reception he spoke with Mikaelyan, conveying his blessings to the Armenian Nation and the leadership of Armenia and the Armenian Church.
In June, Pope Francis – during a meeting with a delegation led by Nerses Bedros XIX, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholics, at the Vatican – reiterated his earlier recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
During the visit, the pope met with members of the delegation, when one of them said that she was a descendant of Genocide victims, to which the pontiff responded: “The first genocide of the 20th Century was that of the Armenians,” thus reiterating his earlier recognition of the Armenian Genocide while he headed the Catholic Church in Buenos Aires as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio.
During events marking the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Buenos Aires, then Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Mario Bergoglio urged Turkey to recognize the Genocide as the “gravest crime of Ottoman Turkey against the Armenian people and the entirety of humanity.”
Director of the Armenian National Committee of South America, Dr. Alfonso Tabakian at the time explained that this was the first such statement from the pontiff since being elevated to Pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Tabakian called the statement “very important since his words transcend any state or religion.”
“This recognition of the Armenian Genocide as the first genocide of the twentieth century reaffirms the statements of John Paul II [which were made] upon his arrival in Armenia on September 25, 2001, demonstrating that more and more states, parliaments and international organizations are adopting this position against the denial of history perpetrated by the Turkish State,” added Tabakian.
Pope Francis, the true spiritual leader of the Armenians, not that fake catholicos Garegin II. I’d choose pope Francis over Garegin II ANY day. He’s a way better leader period.
Fellow Armenians, let’s all become part of the Roman Catholic Church. Armenians would be much better if we do this.
The Armenian Genocide was one of the great tragedies of the 20th century, yet, in a century marked by so many wars, genocides, and other tragedies, it’s not as well known as it deserves. Chris Bohjalian’s novel Sandcastle Girls is set against the background of this event. Read it and you’ll not only learn about this history but will also enjoy a book by one of our top contemporary novelists. http://www.amazon.com/Sandcastle-Girls-Vintage-Contemporaries/dp/0307743918/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389882665&sr=1-3&keywords=chris+bohjalian
Thank you so much for your support and blessings.
Pope Francis should tell Turkic tribes leadership,
If you accept the blood color of Ottomans flag, then you should be responsible for Christian Genocide of Ottoman Turkey!
When will he open the Genocide archives, due and poromised long time ago.