Apostolic voyages
“In the last few days, the Lord has enabled me to visit Armenia, the first nation to embrace the Christian faith at the beginning of the fourth century”, said Pope Francis in the second part of his Jubilee Audience in St Peter’s Square today. “A people which, throughout its long history, has borne witness to the Christian faith through martyrdom. I give thanks to the Lord for this trip, and I am truly grateful to the President of the Republic of Armenia, to the Catholicos Karekin II, to the Catholic Patriarch and Bishops, and to the entire Armenian people for welcoming me as a pilgrim of fraternity and peace”. “Over the next three months – he added -, God willing, I will make another trip to Georgia and Azerbaijan, two countries in the Caucasus region. I have accepted the invitation to visit these countries for two reasons: on the one hand, to affirm the ancient Christian roots in those lands – always in a spirit of dialogue with other religions and cultures – and on the other, to promote hope and paths of peace. History teaches us that the road to peace requires great resolve and steady steps, starting with small steps and then taking bigger ones, moving closer to each other”. Hence the hope expressed by the Pope that “each and everyone of us will contribute to peace and reconciliation”. As Christians, “we are called to strengthen communion among us to bear witness to the Gospel of Christ and to be leaven of a more just and fraternal society. For this reason, my entire visit was accompanied by the Supreme Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, who has kindly hosted me in his home for three days”.
