Tweet
Pope boosts Armenia's efforts to have Ottoman killings recognised as genocide
Pope Francis delivers powerful message by recognising atrocities
between 1915 and 1922 as genocide in speech at Vatican on eve of
centenary
Pope Francis and the head of Armenia's Orthodox church, Karekin II,
greet each other during an Armenian-rite mass in St Peter's Basilica.
Photograph: Gregorio Borgia/AP
Ian Black in Yerevan and Rosie Scammell in Rome
Sunday 12 April 2015 18.12 BST Last modified on Sunday 12 April 2015 20.02 BST
Armenia's efforts to promote greater awareness of the massacre of 1.5
million of its people by Turkey during the fall of the Ottoman empire
were given a dramatic boost on Sunday by the pope's description of the
atrocities as `the first genocide of the 20th century' ` days ahead of
the centenary of the event.
Pope Francis used a special mass in St Peter's Basilica to mark the
anniversary, and referred to `three massive and unprecedented
tragedies' of the last century.
Kim mania as Armenia catches up with the Kardashians
Armenians warm to Kim Kardashian during her family visit and welcome
the publicity she draws to the country ahead of genocide remembrance
day
Read more
`The first, which is widely considered the first genocide of the 20th
century, struck your own Armenian people,' the pontiff said. `Bishops
and priests, religious women and men, the elderly and even defenceless
children and the infirm were murdered.'
Historians estimate that as many as 1.5 million Armenians were killed
in state-organised violence between 1915 and 1922. Russia, France and
about 20 other countries recognise it as genocide.
The US and Britain do not, however: most likely to avoid angering
their Nato ally. The Turkish government rejects the term and
emphasises wartime conditions, although in recent years it has
acknowledged Armenian suffering.
Turkey immediately summoned the papal ambassador to Ankara to express
its displeasure and later recalled its ambassador from the Vatican.
The foreign ministry said the pope had contradicted his message of
peace and dialogue during a visit to Turkey in November.
Expressing `great disappointment and sadness', it called the message
discriminatory because it only mentioned the pain suffered by
Christian Armenians, and not Muslims and other religious groups.
The fate of the Armenians and impunity for their killers has come to
be seen as foreshadowing the Nazi extermination of 6 million Jews 25
years later. The concept of genocide was recognised by the UN in 1948.
Armenia hopes wider international recognition will increase pressure
on Turkey, though their relations are complicated by other factors,
including the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pope Francis calls Armenian massacre `first genocide of 20th century'
Strictly speaking, it was not the first such announcement. In 2001
Pope John Paul II and Kerekin II, the leader of the Armenian Apostolic
church, used identical language to that used by Pope Francis on
Sunday. The original statement, however, was issued in Echmiadzin, the
Armenian equivalent of the Vatican, rather than in Rome.
Analysts said the timing was also highly significant, coming so close
to the 24 April commemoration event in Yerevan and around the world.
Turkey has infuriated Armenians by choosing to mark the centenary of
the wartime Gallipoli landings on exactly the same date, a move
deliberately designed to overshadow remembrance of the genocide.
Gallipoli has never before been commemorated on that day.
President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an also ignored an invitation from the
Armenian president, Serž Sargasyan, for him to come to Yerevan. The
Armenian government is expected to welcome the statement when
Sargasyan, who attended the mass, returns from Rome.
`This is the first time a mass was dedicated to the Armenian genocide
victims in St Peter's,' said commentator Ara Tadevosyan. `The pope's
acknowledgement that ours was the first genocide of the 20th century
is very important. It's another sign that the civilized world is
accepting what happened to us despite all the pressure from Turkey.'
The pontiff's decision to bracket the mass killing of Armenians with
the crimes perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism gives the Vatican's
`highest sanction' to genocide recognition, said Theo van Lint, a
professor of Armenian studies at the University of Oxford. `I think
it's very important to realise he gave space to the leaders, the heads
of the Armenian church and Armenian Catholics, to fully give their
view of events. It's very clear that the pope accepts that it is a
genocide.'
The pope was joined by Kerekin II, Sargasyan and other dignitaries.
Allowing Armenian leaders to speak in St Peter's Basilica was
described as a `strategic move' by Van Lint.
Igor Dorfmann-Lazarev, a researcher on Armenian history at the School
of Oriental and African Studies (Soas) in London, said the ceremony
also demonstrated the pope's efforts to put peripheral Christian
groups at the centre of the Catholic church. `This is the first time
that Armenia is the centre of attention of Catholic life and the
Christian world,' he said. `It's meant to draw attention to the
Christian east.'
Pope Francis also declared a 10th-century Armenian monk, St Gregory of
Narek, a `doctor of the church'. The mystic and poet is celebrated for
his writings, some of which are still recited in Armenian churches.
Britain will be represented at the Yerevan genocide centennial by the
Conservative MP John Whittingdale, the chairman of the
British-Armenian all-party group. The UK representation at the
Gallipoli anniversary will be led by the Prince of Wales.
The Associated Press in Ankara contributed to this report
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/12/pope-boosts-armenias-efforts-to-have-ottoman-killings-recognised-as-genocide
Pope Francis delivers powerful message by recognising atrocities
between 1915 and 1922 as genocide in speech at Vatican on eve of
centenary
Pope Francis and the head of Armenia's Orthodox church, Karekin II,
greet each other during an Armenian-rite mass in St Peter's Basilica.
Photograph: Gregorio Borgia/AP
Ian Black in Yerevan and Rosie Scammell in Rome
Sunday 12 April 2015 18.12 BST Last modified on Sunday 12 April 2015 20.02 BST
Armenia's efforts to promote greater awareness of the massacre of 1.5
million of its people by Turkey during the fall of the Ottoman empire
were given a dramatic boost on Sunday by the pope's description of the
atrocities as `the first genocide of the 20th century' ` days ahead of
the centenary of the event.
Pope Francis used a special mass in St Peter's Basilica to mark the
anniversary, and referred to `three massive and unprecedented
tragedies' of the last century.
Kim mania as Armenia catches up with the Kardashians
Armenians warm to Kim Kardashian during her family visit and welcome
the publicity she draws to the country ahead of genocide remembrance
day
Read more
`The first, which is widely considered the first genocide of the 20th
century, struck your own Armenian people,' the pontiff said. `Bishops
and priests, religious women and men, the elderly and even defenceless
children and the infirm were murdered.'
Historians estimate that as many as 1.5 million Armenians were killed
in state-organised violence between 1915 and 1922. Russia, France and
about 20 other countries recognise it as genocide.
The US and Britain do not, however: most likely to avoid angering
their Nato ally. The Turkish government rejects the term and
emphasises wartime conditions, although in recent years it has
acknowledged Armenian suffering.
Turkey immediately summoned the papal ambassador to Ankara to express
its displeasure and later recalled its ambassador from the Vatican.
The foreign ministry said the pope had contradicted his message of
peace and dialogue during a visit to Turkey in November.
Expressing `great disappointment and sadness', it called the message
discriminatory because it only mentioned the pain suffered by
Christian Armenians, and not Muslims and other religious groups.
The fate of the Armenians and impunity for their killers has come to
be seen as foreshadowing the Nazi extermination of 6 million Jews 25
years later. The concept of genocide was recognised by the UN in 1948.
Armenia hopes wider international recognition will increase pressure
on Turkey, though their relations are complicated by other factors,
including the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pope Francis calls Armenian massacre `first genocide of 20th century'
Strictly speaking, it was not the first such announcement. In 2001
Pope John Paul II and Kerekin II, the leader of the Armenian Apostolic
church, used identical language to that used by Pope Francis on
Sunday. The original statement, however, was issued in Echmiadzin, the
Armenian equivalent of the Vatican, rather than in Rome.
Analysts said the timing was also highly significant, coming so close
to the 24 April commemoration event in Yerevan and around the world.
Turkey has infuriated Armenians by choosing to mark the centenary of
the wartime Gallipoli landings on exactly the same date, a move
deliberately designed to overshadow remembrance of the genocide.
Gallipoli has never before been commemorated on that day.
President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an also ignored an invitation from the
Armenian president, Serž Sargasyan, for him to come to Yerevan. The
Armenian government is expected to welcome the statement when
Sargasyan, who attended the mass, returns from Rome.
`This is the first time a mass was dedicated to the Armenian genocide
victims in St Peter's,' said commentator Ara Tadevosyan. `The pope's
acknowledgement that ours was the first genocide of the 20th century
is very important. It's another sign that the civilized world is
accepting what happened to us despite all the pressure from Turkey.'
The pontiff's decision to bracket the mass killing of Armenians with
the crimes perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism gives the Vatican's
`highest sanction' to genocide recognition, said Theo van Lint, a
professor of Armenian studies at the University of Oxford. `I think
it's very important to realise he gave space to the leaders, the heads
of the Armenian church and Armenian Catholics, to fully give their
view of events. It's very clear that the pope accepts that it is a
genocide.'
The pope was joined by Kerekin II, Sargasyan and other dignitaries.
Allowing Armenian leaders to speak in St Peter's Basilica was
described as a `strategic move' by Van Lint.
Igor Dorfmann-Lazarev, a researcher on Armenian history at the School
of Oriental and African Studies (Soas) in London, said the ceremony
also demonstrated the pope's efforts to put peripheral Christian
groups at the centre of the Catholic church. `This is the first time
that Armenia is the centre of attention of Catholic life and the
Christian world,' he said. `It's meant to draw attention to the
Christian east.'
Pope Francis also declared a 10th-century Armenian monk, St Gregory of
Narek, a `doctor of the church'. The mystic and poet is celebrated for
his writings, some of which are still recited in Armenian churches.
Britain will be represented at the Yerevan genocide centennial by the
Conservative MP John Whittingdale, the chairman of the
British-Armenian all-party group. The UK representation at the
Gallipoli anniversary will be led by the Prince of Wales.
The Associated Press in Ankara contributed to this report
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/12/pope-boosts-armenias-efforts-to-have-ottoman-killings-recognised-as-genocide