ANKARA—Turkey reacted angrily to the Vatican following a statement from Pope Francis describing the mass killings of Armenians during World War I as “the first genocide of the twentieth century” during a meeting with a delegation led by Patriarch of Cilicia of Armenian Catholics on June 3.
“The Turkish Foreign Ministry delivered Turkey’s views on the issue and expressed disappointment to the embassy in Ankara and Vatican in Rome,” a Turkish diplomat told the Hürriyet Daily News on June 7.
Asbarez reported on Tuesday that Pope Francis, during a meeting Monday 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.
Seven years ago, 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 entire humanity.”
Director of the Armenian National Committee of South America, Dr. Alfonso Tabakian 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.
During the visit, Nerses Bedros XIX presented the pope with a painting depicting Jesus Christ on the crucifix.
Unbeleivable.
Turkey kills 1.5 Million Armenians, takes over their lands, houses, businesses and all their wealth, and pushes the rest of the population out of the land, that Turks invaded almost ten centuries ago, now called Turkey, which was Armenian Land, and is angry now if somebody calls it “GENOCIDE”.
What would the Turks call it if it really was Turkey and other countries invaded it and took it from Turks???
I guess they will send a Gun-Man for this one too!
Perhaps only by converting to Christianity will the Turks
Embrace trace amounts of guilt and shame that are prerequisites to ascending
From beasts to humans.
Sorry, that won’t work. Turkish citizens of all religions are pretty patriotic for their country. I personally know a Levantine Catholic member of the MHP party. No joke. So epic fail again.
I was born in Istanbul, trust me, I thank Jesus everyday that our parents got us the hell out of there. Now if only I could remove my birthplace from my passport. What an embarrasment for me when I travel abroad.
“Epic fail”? Wow it looks like you’re improving your vocabulary. Your whole morally bankrupt country Turkey is an epic fail. Now put you tail between you legs and bugger off.
jerky turkey is angry at the Pope,angry at the U.S.,angry at Mickey Mouse,angry at the mongols who left their criminal element behind……WHO REALLY CARES,JERKY turkey,who you are mad at…..R E A L SLOW NOBODY C A R E S
The Pope reminds of Pope Pius,XX111- The peasant Pope,Very good man,humble,people loved him..A little different from the Europeans,who seemed,too political,and intimidated by the jerky turkeys.
Everybody is exited with Pope Francis I and respects him as a moral and spiritual leader. Turkey
is angry at an affable and well respected leader.
Mr. Erdogan leave the Pope alone and be angry at what is happening to Turk demonstrators.
Your anger will not silence the voice of the highest religious authority of the Catholic Church.
The Pope has taken the wright stepps. The Ottoman Empire has killed and murdered almost 1.5M armenians I advice the present turkish government to recognize the Armenian Genocide and handover the armenian lands to the Mother Land
That’s just tough Turkey! You need to get over yourself and confess!
Your Ottoman Empire committed this crime against humanity and you need to confess to it!
Ankara is in no position to be angry with anyone!
when will turkey’s denialist machine become irrelavent. it continues to be the pros and cons. there are no pros and cons. it happened and that’s it. is there no way to shut these Turkish liars off for once and for all. how much
more proof is needed. how many more books on the subject. the next level should be the international court of justice and it should be now.
The turkey denialist machine will become irrevelant–when the STUPID PEOPLE WHO BLINK,PAID STOOGES,CARE LESS,SOCIETY,WAKES UP,AND DEVELOPS A LITTLE CHARACTER. Its like turkey,70% illiteracy?
We thank Pope Francis on recognizing the well documented Armenian Genocide. Hundreds of books were printed on this first Genocide of 1915-1923 by Missionares, by the Ambassador Morgenthau, the New York Times, and numerous newspapers around the world. The Turkish people are now coming out in support of the Armenian Genocide along with numerous Turkish writers of which many have been imprisioned. Numerous countries around the world have recognized this Genocide and up to 43 U.S. states have also recognized this terrible atrocity of which my father & mother whom lived in different Provences in Turkish occupied Armenia whom were both married lost their children, their husband, their wife, fathers & mothers and many relatives. The United States must recognize what the Turks did to the Armenian People and not using the excuse that Turkey is a staunch ally.
Should be blamed more than Turkey the Int’l community that stay silent for the sake of OIL, GAS, and $$$$$$
what are they going to do now? to go and try to kill this Pope also like the other one?
It is not strange turkish PM Erdoghan & FM Achmet Davud Oglou irritated & faint into anger, because Pope
Francis the leader of catholic christian excercises his own moral integrity & moral obligation standing on the
side of truth & justice by revisiting in the memory of armenian Genocide victims on the hands of barbarian
turks, that of corse make them unhappy.
When Pope Francis speaks out about armenian Genocide it is natural PM Erdoghan FM Achmet feel bad,
they know that their international bastard bribe taker will seeze this opportunity wiil ask for higer bribe to
forge for another new cover up against armenian Genocide, such bribe payments are making turks exhousted & angry & hate whou ever speaks for justice.
Speaking of the price of bribery, think what could happen to the price when, say, the price of the Ottoman Greek and Assyrian Genocides were added thereto; or should there suddenly be no more Ladinos remain to carry the water for all the Turks. Indeed, what would happen to Turks, particularly Azerbaijani, without Israeli and Western military support?