Pope in Armenia: religious freedom essential to the victory of peace
At the conclusion of his visit Francis signed a joint declaration with Catholicos Karenin II. The "constant conflicts based on ethnicity, political and religious in the Middle East and other parts of the world." The willingness of the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church to continue on the path towards full unity.
Yerevan (AsiaNews) - The assertion of the right to religious freedom and the will of the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church to continue on the path towards full unity are the principles established in the Joint Declaration signed by Pope Francis and the Catholicos Karenin II, which can be considered the summary and conclusion of the Pope's visit to Armenia, from where he departed at 18:30 (local time).
His last appointment before the farewell ceremony was a visit to the monastery of Khor Virap, one of the sacred places of the Armenian Church. The monastery at the foot of Mount Ararat, is tied to the memory of St. Gregory the Illuminator who is considered the founder of the Armenian Church. He was imprisoned here for 13 years in a well that still exists.
A short visit, marked by the recitation of the Our Father in Armenian and Italian by Karekin and Francesco. Symbolic, finally, the liberation (pictured) of two white doves towards Ararat, a symbol of peace and hope.
Hope, alongside the denunciation of violence against religious minorities, is at the heart of the Joint Declaration, which states: "Sadly, though, we are witnessing an immense tragedy unfolding before our eyes, of countless innocent people being killed, displaced or forced into a painful and uncertain exile by continuing conflicts on ethnic, economic, political and religious grounds in the Middle East and other parts of the world. As a result, religious and ethnic minorities have become the target of persecution and cruel treatment, to the point that suffering for one’s religious belief has become a daily reality. The martyrs belong to all the Churches and their suffering is an “ecumenism of blood” which transcends the historical divisions between Christians, calling us all to promote the visible unity of Christ’s disciples. Together we pray, through the intercession of the holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, Thaddeus and Bartholomew, for a change of heart in all those who commit such crimes and those who are in a position to stop the violence. We implore the leaders of nations to listen to the plea of millions of human beings who long for peace and justice in the world, who demand respect for their God-given rights, who have urgent need of bread, not guns. Sadly, we are witnessing a presentation of religion and religious values in a fundamentalist way, which is used to justify the spread of hatred, discrimination and violence. The justification of such crimes on the basis of religious ideas is unacceptable, for “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (I Corinthians 14:33). Moreover, respect for religious difference is the necessary condition for the peaceful cohabitation of different ethnic and religious communities. Precisely because we are Christians, we are called to seek and implement paths towards reconciliation and peace. In this regard we also express our hope for a peaceful resolution of the issues surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh".
The statement denounces then that "The secularization of large sectors of society, its alienation from the spiritual and divine, leads inevitably to a desacralized and materialistic vision of man and the human family. In this respect we are concerned about the crisis of the family in many countries. The Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church share the same vision of the family, based on marriage, an act of freely given and faithful love between man and woman".
The document also emphasizes "the continuing and growing closeness in faith and love between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church in their common witness to the gospel in a world torn by conflicts and eager to comfort and hope". "We gladly confirm that despite continuing divisions among Christians, we have come to realize more clearly that what unites us is much more than what divides us. This is the solid basis upon which the unity of Christ’s Church will be made manifest, in accordance with the Lord’s words, “that they all may be one” (John 17.21). Over the past decades the relationship between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church has successfully entered a new phase, strengthened by our mutual prayers and joint efforts in overcoming contemporary challenges. Today we are convinced of the crucial importance of furthering this relationship, engaging in deeper and more decisive collaboration not only in the area of theology, but also in prayer and active cooperation on the level of the local communities, with a view to sharing full communion and concrete expressions of unity. We urge our faithful to work in harmony for the promotion in society of the Christian values which effectively contribute to building a civilization of justice, peace and human solidarity".
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