“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.
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 an address to Armenia’s president and the diplomatic corps, Francis used the Armenian term ‘Metz Yeghern’ (the great evil), but then added to his prepared text “that genocide” to refer to what he also called “the first of the deplorable series of catastrophes of the past century”.
Most non-Turkish scholars of the events regard them as genocide. Among the other states which formally recognise them as genocide are Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Russia and Uruguay.
“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,” Pope Francis mentioned in his speech at the Presidential Palace.
Styopa Safaryan, political scientist, considers visit of the Pope to Armenia a historical event of utmost importance, particularly, when the Pope mentions in his political and religious message how crucial Armenia is for the Christian world.
“Of course, Nagorno Karabakh conflict cannot be settled by one or two meetings, but this was a huge progress. The Presidents try to find ways out during these meetings,” he said. Warlick added that as a result of the talks the parties have agreed upon increasing the OSCE monitoring mission.
The Central Bank of Armenia issued a commemorative medal dedicated to Pope Francis’ visit to Armenia, the slogan of which is “Visit to the first Christian Nation”, press service of the CBA informed reported. In 301 the Christianity became the state religion in Armenia which is associated with the name of St. Gregory the Illuminator.
At the airport, Pope Francis was greeted also by the “Little Singers of Armenia” choir which performed medieval Armenian carols. Children dressed in the Armenian national costumes presented to His Holiness Armenian apricot and Armenian lavash which was included on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Today, Armenia still aspires for peace. In any event, we prefer peaceful negotiation to shooting. We are ready for peaceful regional coexistence, as hard as the road to peace may be. It is perhaps because durable peace is based upon the idea of people’s freedom and free expression of will.
