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POPE PRAYS FOR RECONCILIATION BETWEEN ARMENIANS AND TURKS
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 13 2015
13 April 2015 08:43 (Last updated 13 April 2015 09:01)
Pope prays for 'path of reconciliation' after calling 1915 events
'genocide,' drawing fierce criticism from Ankara.
ANKARA
After saying "The first 'genocide' of the 20th century" struck
Armenians, Pope Francis prayed Sunday for "reconciliation" between
Armenians and Turks.
"May God grant that the people of Armenia and Turkey take up again the
path of reconciliation, and may peace also spring forth in Nagorno
Karabakh," Pope said in his message delivered to all Armenians on
Sunday, after the liturgy.
"Despite conflicts and tensions, Armenians and Turks have lived long
periods of peaceful coexistence in the past and, even in the midst of
violence, they have experienced times of solidarity and mutual help,"
Pope said.
"Only in this way will new generations open themselves to a better
future and will the sacrifice of so many become seeds of justice
and peace."
Earlier on Sunday, Pope said at the St. Peter Basilica: "In the
past century, our human family has lived through three massive and
unprecedented tragedies.
"The first, which is widely considered the first genocide of the
twentieth century, struck your own Armenian people, the first Christian
nation, as well as Catholic and Orthodox Syrians, Assyrians, Chaldeans
and Greeks and, more recently, there have been other mass killings,
like those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia."
Pope made these remarks during a service held in Vatican City for
Armenians who lost their lives in the 1915 incidents.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos Karekin II, the current
Catholicos of All Armenians and also the head of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, and Aram I Keshishian, the head of the Armenian Catholicosate
of the Great House of Cilicia, also attended the rite.
The Vatican first used the term "genocide" for 1915 incidents on
September 27, 2001 when Pope Jean Paul II signed a joint declaration
with the Armenian Patriarch. In Sunday's liturgy, Pope Francis also
used this joined declaration as reference.
Popes declarations drew criticism from Ankara, with the Turkish Foreign
Ministry summoning Vatican's Ambassador to Turkey, Antonio Lucibello.
Later on Sunday, Turkey recalled its own Ambassador to Vatican,
Mehmet Pacaci, to Ankara for consultations.
1915 incidents
The 1915 events took place during World War I when a portion of
the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the
invading Russians and revolted.
The Ottoman Empire relocated Armenians in eastern Anatolia following
the revolts and there were some Armenian casualties during the
relocation process.
Armenia has demanded an apology and compensation, while Turkey has
officially refuted Armenian allegations over the incidents saying that,
although Armenians died during the relocations, many Turks also lost
their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.
The Turkish government has repeatedly called on historians to study
Ottoman archives pertaining to the era in order to uncover what
actually happened between the Ottoman government and its Armenian
citizens.
The debate on "genocide" and the differing opinions between the
present day Turkish government and the Armenian diaspora, along with
the current administration in Yerevan, still generates political
tension between Turks and Armenians.
Turkey's official position against allegations of "genocide" is that
it acknowledges the past experiences were a great tragedy and that both
parties suffered heavy casualties, including hundreds of Muslim Turks.
Turkey agrees that there were certainly Armenian casualties during
World War I, but that it is impossible to define these incidents as
"genocide."
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/492696--pope-prays-for-reconciliation-between-armenians-and-turks
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 13 2015
13 April 2015 08:43 (Last updated 13 April 2015 09:01)
Pope prays for 'path of reconciliation' after calling 1915 events
'genocide,' drawing fierce criticism from Ankara.
ANKARA
After saying "The first 'genocide' of the 20th century" struck
Armenians, Pope Francis prayed Sunday for "reconciliation" between
Armenians and Turks.
"May God grant that the people of Armenia and Turkey take up again the
path of reconciliation, and may peace also spring forth in Nagorno
Karabakh," Pope said in his message delivered to all Armenians on
Sunday, after the liturgy.
"Despite conflicts and tensions, Armenians and Turks have lived long
periods of peaceful coexistence in the past and, even in the midst of
violence, they have experienced times of solidarity and mutual help,"
Pope said.
"Only in this way will new generations open themselves to a better
future and will the sacrifice of so many become seeds of justice
and peace."
Earlier on Sunday, Pope said at the St. Peter Basilica: "In the
past century, our human family has lived through three massive and
unprecedented tragedies.
"The first, which is widely considered the first genocide of the
twentieth century, struck your own Armenian people, the first Christian
nation, as well as Catholic and Orthodox Syrians, Assyrians, Chaldeans
and Greeks and, more recently, there have been other mass killings,
like those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia."
Pope made these remarks during a service held in Vatican City for
Armenians who lost their lives in the 1915 incidents.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos Karekin II, the current
Catholicos of All Armenians and also the head of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, and Aram I Keshishian, the head of the Armenian Catholicosate
of the Great House of Cilicia, also attended the rite.
The Vatican first used the term "genocide" for 1915 incidents on
September 27, 2001 when Pope Jean Paul II signed a joint declaration
with the Armenian Patriarch. In Sunday's liturgy, Pope Francis also
used this joined declaration as reference.
Popes declarations drew criticism from Ankara, with the Turkish Foreign
Ministry summoning Vatican's Ambassador to Turkey, Antonio Lucibello.
Later on Sunday, Turkey recalled its own Ambassador to Vatican,
Mehmet Pacaci, to Ankara for consultations.
1915 incidents
The 1915 events took place during World War I when a portion of
the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the
invading Russians and revolted.
The Ottoman Empire relocated Armenians in eastern Anatolia following
the revolts and there were some Armenian casualties during the
relocation process.
Armenia has demanded an apology and compensation, while Turkey has
officially refuted Armenian allegations over the incidents saying that,
although Armenians died during the relocations, many Turks also lost
their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.
The Turkish government has repeatedly called on historians to study
Ottoman archives pertaining to the era in order to uncover what
actually happened between the Ottoman government and its Armenian
citizens.
The debate on "genocide" and the differing opinions between the
present day Turkish government and the Armenian diaspora, along with
the current administration in Yerevan, still generates political
tension between Turks and Armenians.
Turkey's official position against allegations of "genocide" is that
it acknowledges the past experiences were a great tragedy and that both
parties suffered heavy casualties, including hundreds of Muslim Turks.
Turkey agrees that there were certainly Armenian casualties during
World War I, but that it is impossible to define these incidents as
"genocide."
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/492696--pope-prays-for-reconciliation-between-armenians-and-turks