Children of the one Father

The exchange of greetings in St. Peter’s Square between Pope Benedict XVI and His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all the Armenians, ended with a fraternal embrace, sealed by an Armenian song, before the start of Wednesday’s general audience. The Patriarch had arrived in Rome on Tuesday 6 May. He comes at the head of a large delegation of bishops and archbishops of countries of the Armenian diaspora, including Au­stralia, the USA, Canada, Rus­sia, France, Brazil, Iraq and Jerusalem. The programme of the Roman visit is packed with a series of important events. On Wednesday 7 May, the Catholicos received an honorary doctorate in youth pastoral theology from the Pontifical Salesian University, while on Friday 9 May he is due to have a private audience with Benedict XVI. The Pope will later receive a group of Apostolic Armenian faithful of the diaspora who have come to Rome for the visit and who will join with Patriarch Karekin in a moment of common prayer. Together in St. Peter’s Square . Benedict XI expressed his “great joy” to His Holiness Karekin II for his presence in Rome and also thanked him for his “personal commitment to the growing friendship between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church”. These words full of gratitude were expressed by the Pope in welcoming His Holiness Karekin II in St. Peter’s Square. Accompanied by Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Armenian Patriarch had entered the forecourt in front of St. Peter’s, greeted the Pope and sat beside him under the canopy for the general audience. After the welcoming words of the Pope, the Patriarch said in reply: “In spite of our dogmatic and cultural differences, we are all children of the one God and brothers and sisters in his holy love”. In his address the Patriarch recalled that “the world situation is not easy”: “wars and terrorism” breed despair “in the Middle East and in many other regions of the world”. “We are Armenians – continued Karekin II -, a people that has survived genocide. We understand very well the value of life, brotherhood, friendship, peace and security”. From St. Peter’s Square, Karekin II asked for “a universal condemnation of all forms of genocide” that have been perpetrated in history” and that “continue in our own time”. The Pope, in his catechesis during the general audience, once again referred to Karekin II’s visit to Rome. “His presence among us today – he said – inspires us with the hope of the full unity of all Christians”. “We have the certainty that the Lord Jesus never abandons us in the search for unity, since his Spirit is tirelessly at work in supporting our efforts aimed at overcoming every division and healing every rent in the living fabric of the Church”. “That’s why – explained the Pope – despite the difficulties and divisions by which they are faced, Christians cannot resign themselves nor give way to discouragement”, but must on the contrary “persevere in prayer to keep alive the flame of hope and the yearning for full unity”. Ecumenical commitment . Karekin II has dedicated “energy and exertion to the religious education of the young”. That is one of the motivations contained in the decree for the conferral on him of an honorary doctorate in pastoral theology with particular reference to his pastoral care of the young. The decree also mentions the “intensive ecumenical action of dialogue, collaboration and esteem” developed by His Holiness, especially in relations with the Roman Catholic Church. “The promotion of Christian unity – said Cardinal Walter Kasper in his “laudatio” – has been one of his major concerns”. With regard to the annual meetings of the Commission for dialogue, the cardinal said: “These ecumenical commitments are not formal appointments for him. On the contrary, they form an essential part of the personal example that the Catholicos wishes to offer to the younger generations”. A history full of suffering . “Throughout their history, the Armenian people have suffered indescribable crimes and persecutions, but they have never abandoned their faith in Jesus Christ, who has always inspired hope and strength in them”, said Karekin II, speaking of Armenia in his doctoral lecture at the Pontifical Salesian University. The Catholicos traced the country’s history in the last century, the years of the Soviet regime and, before that, the Genocide of the Armenians perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks in the years from 1915 to 1921: “over half a million men, women and children were assassinated, over 4,000 priests massacred; hundreds of monasteries and churches were plundered and destroyed. Today – continued the Catholicos – we are witnessing the continuation of cultural annihilation in the Republic of Turkey. What wasn’t destroyed during the Armenian Genocide is being destroyed today”. Armenia today – added the Patriarch – is having to come to terms with a deep economic crisis, with a growing number of unemployed and consequent emigration abroad. One of the priorities of his ministry is the formation of young priests. The Church of Armenia – said the Catholicos – has a need first of all to prepare “a new generation of priests” and to form them in “an ecumenical spirit”.