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POPE LAUDS ARMENIAN CHURCH LEADER'S COMMITMENT TO UNITY
Patheos
June 6 2014
June 6, 2014 By CNA Daily News
Vatican City, Jun 6, 2014 / 02:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- During Pope
Francis' encounter with a Catholicos of the Apostolic Armenian Church,
the pontiff commended him for his efforts in fostering Christian unity,
and encouraged a growth in trust and hope.
"Your Holiness's commitment to the cause of Christian unity is known
to all," Pope Francis stated in his June 5 meeting with Catholicos
Aram I of the Apostolic Armenian Church of Cilicia.
"You have been especially active in the World Council of Churches
and you continue to be most supportive of the Middle East Council of
Churches, which plays such an important role in assisting the Christian
communities of that region as they face numerous difficulties."
The Armenian Apostolic Church is an Oriental Orthodox Church. These
Churches reject the 451 Council of Chalcedon, and have been considered
monophysites - those who believe Christ has only one nature - by
Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox.
During his remarks, Pope Francis drew attention to the Catholicos'
"significant contribution" to the ongoing dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Oriental Churches, saying he is "convinced" that the
two "share the same hopes and a similar sense of responsibility"
in their journey toward full communion.
"Trust and hope. How much these are needed! They are needed by our
Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East, especially those
living in areas racked by conflict and violence," he observed.
Going on, the pontiff explained that even as Christians who do not
suffer from conflict we need these virtues, because so often we "risk
losing our way in the desert of indifference and forgetfulness of God,
or living in conflict without brothers and sisters, or succumbing in
our interior struggle against sin."
"As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to learn humbly to bear one
another's burdens and to help each other to be better Christians,
better followers of Jesus."
Taking place in the Vatican's Redemptoris Mater chapel, the prayer
was arranged as part of Aram I's June 5 - 6 visit to Rome, during
which he is also slated to meet with the Pontifical Council for the
Promotion of Christian Unity and visit the tomb of Saint Peter.
Pope Francis' encounter with the Armenian Catholicos comes in wake
of a meeting he had with the Armenian Patriarch Karekin II in the
Vatican last month.
Fr. Gabriel Quicke, a member of the Pontifical Council for the
Promotion of Christian Unity who works specifically with the Oriental
Churches and who played a key role in organizing both events, explained
that Aram I's visit with Pope Francis "is very significant."
"All the patriarchs and the heads of churches want to visit the Holy
Father, and the Armenian Apostolic Church has had in its history very
good relations with the Catholic Church" he observed, stating that
"At every stage of their history there is evidence of this good
relationship."
Describing the day's schedule, Fr. Quicke explained that ahead of
their prayer together, Pope Francis and Aram I had a private meeting,
during which "the Catholicos expressed his thanks for the Holy Father
for receiving him and for being able to express his solidarity."
"The Holy Father answered by expressing his closeness in prayer and
he could greet the group of faithful" he said, noting that the group
of laypersons selected to participate in the event following their
private remarks hailed from countries all over the world.
Following their speeches, the priest revealed that the two exchanged
gifts before heading to the Redomptoris Mater chapel of the Apostolic
Palace where they prayed together in each others' languages.
"Some prayers were in Armenian, there were some hymns in Armenian,
for the rest we spoke in English and in Italian," Fr. Quicke recalled,
noting that "at the end of the prayer, the Catholicos and the Holy
Father gave the blessing."
Observing how the atmosphere was very fraternal, he explained that
the good relationship between Catholics and Armenians is particularly
important given the painful past of the Arminian Church.
In 1915, the Ottoman Empire began a genocide against the Armenian
people, in which some 1 million were killed.
"The Armenian people is a people in pilgrimage. They have suffered
a lot, so the Armenian Apostolic Church has had to become a pilgrim
people" with a history marked by immigration and persecution and
martyrdom."
So it is significant, the priest explained that they still "continue
their mission to be witnesses of the Risen Lord."
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/catholicnews/2014/06/pope-lauds-armenian-church-leaders-commitment-to-unity/
Patheos
June 6 2014
June 6, 2014 By CNA Daily News
Vatican City, Jun 6, 2014 / 02:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- During Pope
Francis' encounter with a Catholicos of the Apostolic Armenian Church,
the pontiff commended him for his efforts in fostering Christian unity,
and encouraged a growth in trust and hope.
"Your Holiness's commitment to the cause of Christian unity is known
to all," Pope Francis stated in his June 5 meeting with Catholicos
Aram I of the Apostolic Armenian Church of Cilicia.
"You have been especially active in the World Council of Churches
and you continue to be most supportive of the Middle East Council of
Churches, which plays such an important role in assisting the Christian
communities of that region as they face numerous difficulties."
The Armenian Apostolic Church is an Oriental Orthodox Church. These
Churches reject the 451 Council of Chalcedon, and have been considered
monophysites - those who believe Christ has only one nature - by
Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox.
During his remarks, Pope Francis drew attention to the Catholicos'
"significant contribution" to the ongoing dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Oriental Churches, saying he is "convinced" that the
two "share the same hopes and a similar sense of responsibility"
in their journey toward full communion.
"Trust and hope. How much these are needed! They are needed by our
Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East, especially those
living in areas racked by conflict and violence," he observed.
Going on, the pontiff explained that even as Christians who do not
suffer from conflict we need these virtues, because so often we "risk
losing our way in the desert of indifference and forgetfulness of God,
or living in conflict without brothers and sisters, or succumbing in
our interior struggle against sin."
"As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to learn humbly to bear one
another's burdens and to help each other to be better Christians,
better followers of Jesus."
Taking place in the Vatican's Redemptoris Mater chapel, the prayer
was arranged as part of Aram I's June 5 - 6 visit to Rome, during
which he is also slated to meet with the Pontifical Council for the
Promotion of Christian Unity and visit the tomb of Saint Peter.
Pope Francis' encounter with the Armenian Catholicos comes in wake
of a meeting he had with the Armenian Patriarch Karekin II in the
Vatican last month.
Fr. Gabriel Quicke, a member of the Pontifical Council for the
Promotion of Christian Unity who works specifically with the Oriental
Churches and who played a key role in organizing both events, explained
that Aram I's visit with Pope Francis "is very significant."
"All the patriarchs and the heads of churches want to visit the Holy
Father, and the Armenian Apostolic Church has had in its history very
good relations with the Catholic Church" he observed, stating that
"At every stage of their history there is evidence of this good
relationship."
Describing the day's schedule, Fr. Quicke explained that ahead of
their prayer together, Pope Francis and Aram I had a private meeting,
during which "the Catholicos expressed his thanks for the Holy Father
for receiving him and for being able to express his solidarity."
"The Holy Father answered by expressing his closeness in prayer and
he could greet the group of faithful" he said, noting that the group
of laypersons selected to participate in the event following their
private remarks hailed from countries all over the world.
Following their speeches, the priest revealed that the two exchanged
gifts before heading to the Redomptoris Mater chapel of the Apostolic
Palace where they prayed together in each others' languages.
"Some prayers were in Armenian, there were some hymns in Armenian,
for the rest we spoke in English and in Italian," Fr. Quicke recalled,
noting that "at the end of the prayer, the Catholicos and the Holy
Father gave the blessing."
Observing how the atmosphere was very fraternal, he explained that
the good relationship between Catholics and Armenians is particularly
important given the painful past of the Arminian Church.
In 1915, the Ottoman Empire began a genocide against the Armenian
people, in which some 1 million were killed.
"The Armenian people is a people in pilgrimage. They have suffered
a lot, so the Armenian Apostolic Church has had to become a pilgrim
people" with a history marked by immigration and persecution and
martyrdom."
So it is significant, the priest explained that they still "continue
their mission to be witnesses of the Risen Lord."
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/catholicnews/2014/06/pope-lauds-armenian-church-leaders-commitment-to-unity/