The Churches ask for the truth

Only the historical truth and sincere dialogue can lead to forgiveness and healing of memories: the genocide of the Armenian people is today a wound in the heart of Europe asking to be healed. In a spirit of brotherhood, a delegation of the Conference of European Churches (CEC, over a hundred members of the major Christian traditions, in particular Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox) will travel to Armenia to participate – along with other political and religious leaders and representatives of the survivors – to the commemoration, scheduled April 22 to 24, marking the centenary of the genocide. The delegation comprises the CEC President, English Anglican bishop Christopher Hill and General Secretary Guy Liagre. On the wake of the healing of memories – after the words of memory, truth and reconciliation spoken last Sunday by Pope Francis – on 15 April the European Parliament adopted a resolution which calls on the Turkish government to open its archives in order to come to grips with the past. In these very hours a large number of European intellectual and religious leaders issued a manifesto that calls on governments and on the representatives of Western culture not to turn their “silent and embarrassed” backs to the hundreds of thousands killed, since “if a genocide is denied for reasons of expediency, tomorrow another genocide will be denied, turning a blind eye to the ongoing genocide of Eastern Christians (and of Zoroastrians and Yazidis) in progress and maybe, why not, commit a new one”. Chiara Biagioni interviewed for SIR Europe the CEC Secretary. Guy Liagre, why will CEC travel to Armenia? “Reconciliation and peace-building are at the heart of the Conference of European Churches. Our historical origins date back to a fragmented and divided Europe. At the time Europe was frightened by the war, relations between States and peoples, along with their reconciliation processes, seemed almost impossible. From these ruins, a small group of Church leaders convened with the purpose of taking action to overcome the divisions between the East and West. Over time, this movement has expanded and we pledged to promote the unity and healing of the division in Europe affecting the political, economic and social systems”. Why Armenia today? “The Armenian genocide stands out as an event of which Europe still bears open wounds, and regarding which it failed to fully come to terms with its past. It is a moment in history that requires the prophetic voice of the Churches to speak of the massacres and the destruction, which are not widely known. We believe that healing and reconciliation are long and difficult paths. This is why the Churches in Europe continue to seek recognition and repair for what has happened in the past, although only few genocide survivors are still living”. What will be your message to them? “Our words of solidarity are also a request of truth. In order to commemorate the past it is necessary to share recollections, bring memories to life. Only when this happens can we see where the memories of the conflicts and the recollections differ. In the case of the Armenian genocide these gestures for the recovery of the truth are slowly changing minds and hearts. The term “genocide” is increasingly accepted while growing numbers of governments and organizations are recognizing it. It is an unfinished work, but the Churches’ statements and the commitment to recount and share the truth, are paving the way to important paths of truth, the only paths that can bring forgiveness and a common future”. What does the Armenian genocide represent today? “The Armenian genocide sheds light on how easily human beings can lapse into war, chaos and destruction. The ongoing commemorations and the commitment for reconciliation and peace are crucial in contemporary Europe. Each day we face the fact that contemporary Europe still isn’t at peace with herself. This is what memory is all about. It reminds us of our common humanity, our common past, it redirects our commitment and our prayer towards a common future. Commemorative gestures and words for the commemorations of April 24 are aimed at promoting hope in a difference future, where peace among peoples may blossom”.