Pope Benedict XVI’s greeting to the delegation of Armenian bishops led by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia of the Armenian Church, started with a tribute to the Armenian people whose testimony of faith and devotion had culminated in the twentieth century, a time of ‘unspeakable suffering’. "The great host of Armenian saints and martyrs, teachers and theologians are a ‘legacy’ that is part of the patrimony of the whole Church," said the Pope receiving the delegation at the Vatican today. The Pope recalled how the See of Cilicia has long been involved in ecumenical dialogue and highlighted the presence of Armenian delegates in the dialogue between the Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church. "We must be hopeful that this dialogue will continue to move forward, since it promises to clarify theological issues which have divided us in the past but now appear open to greater consensus," added the Pope. The Pope also said he was confident that "the current work of the International Commission devoted to the theme: "The Nature, Constitution and Mission of the Church" will enable many of the specific issues of our theological dialogue to find their proper context and resolution. "Surely" the Pope continued "the growth in understanding, respect and cooperation which has emerged from ecumenical dialogue promises much for the proclamation of the Gospel in our time." (continued)
