“We extend our prayer to Almighty God with the intercession of the Holy Apostles and all the witnesses of the Lord, for peace in the world, a prosperous and secure life for humanity and for the vibrancy of the holy Church of Christ. Your Holiness, our dear brother in Christ, your visit to Gyumri is a spiritual renewal for the faithful of the region of Shirak, and it shall always be remembered with warmth and love. Again with a joyous heart we reaffirm that your visit is a new testimony to the fraternal relationship between our churches.”
“Here I pray with pain in my heart, so that never more will there be tragedies like this, so that humanity does not forget and knows how to overcome the evil with good. May God grant the beloved Armenian people and the entire world peace and consolation. May God protect the memory of the Armenian people. Memory should not be diluted or forgotten. Memory is source of peace and the future,” Pope Francis wrote.
“Firstly, it seems to me that the resolution was conditioned by the fear of the British from migration crisis, threat of which really exists, ordinary citizens are afraid that Brussels will dictate its will to ordinary citizens, this is a crucial circumstance. That is, the British expressed in favor of sovereignty of their own country.”
“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.
“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.
We give glory and thanks to God, as we welcome you, and the delegation accompanying you today, with brotherly love and prayer in this holy cathedral, where the Only-Begotten Son descended. We are deeply touched that per Our invitation You have visited Armenia, to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Naturally, importance of Great Britain wasn’t and won’t be limited by membership to the EU and leaving it. Great Britain has a great impact in our region—the South Caucasus, and pursues both big economic and energy, as well as geo-political interests, which in different periods are expressed by sharpness or visibility of various degree, however, they have always been existent.
