"Our meeting is far more than a simple gesture of ecumenical politeness or friendship. It is a sign of our shared hope in God’s promises and our wish to see the accomplishment of the prayer that Jesus raised for His disciples the day before His Passion and His Death: ‘For everyone to be one thing’". These are the words that Benedict Xvi told to the Patriarch of the Apostolic Armenian Community, Mesrob II, during his visit of prayer in the Armenian Cathedral of Istanbul. "The tragic divisions that have risen over time between the followers of Christ added the Pope openly contradict Lord’s will, are a scandal to the world and damage the most holy cause of the preaching of the Gospel to every creature". According to the Holy Father, "precisely through the testimony of their faith and love, Christians are called to offer a shining sign of hope and consolation to this world, so deeply scarred by conflicts and tensions". "Therefore, we must keep doing all we can concluded Benedict XVI to heal the wounds of the separation and speed up the rebuilding of the unity of Christians. I express my wish, that we may be guided, in this pressing task, by the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit".
