Catholic Online, CA
May 10 2008

Pope: Miracles of Unity on Pentecost

5/10/2008
Zenit News Agency ()

"If our hearts and minds are open to the Spirit of communion, God can
work miracles again in the Church, restoring the bonds of unity."

VATICAN CITY (Zenit) – On the feast of Pentecost this Sunday, the
Church will be praying for unity, knowing that God can work miracles,
Benedict XVI says.

The Pope affirmed this today when he received in audience Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. He then met with
the bishops of the patriarch’s delegation.

At noon in the Clementine Hall, the Holy Father presided over the
liturgical celebration of daytime prayer; Karekin II attended, along
with the bishops and a group of faithful from the Armenian Apostolic
Church. After the patriarch’s greeting, the Pope addressed the
assembly.

Benedict XVI affirmed that this Sunday, the feast of Pentecost, "We
will pray in a particular way for the unity of the Church. […] If
our hearts and minds are open to the Spirit of communion, God can work
miracles again in the Church, restoring the bonds of unity. Striving
for Christian unity is an act of obedient trust in the work of the
Holy Spirit, who leads the Church to the full realization of the
Father’s plan, in conformity with the will of Christ."

The Holy Father pointed out that "the recent history of the Armenian
Apostolic Church has been written in the contrasting colors of
persecution and martyrdom, darkness and hope, humiliation and
spiritual rebirth."

"The restoration of freedom to the Church in Armenia has been a source
of great joy for us all," he added. "An immense task of rebuilding the
Church has been laid on your shoulders." However, the Bishop of Rome
noted the "remarkable pastoral results that have been achieved in such
a short time."

"Thanks to your pastoral leadership," the Pope affirmed, "the glorious
light of Christ shines again in Armenia and the saving words of the
Gospel can be heard once more. Of course, you are still facing many
challenges on social, cultural and spiritual levels. In this regard, I
must mention the recent difficulties suffered by the people of
Armenia, and I express the prayerful support of the Catholic Church in
their search for justice and peace and the promotion of the common
good."

Benedict XVI’s secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, traveled
to Armenia last March. His trip had to be postponed briefly due to
post-election clashes between protesters and police in Armenia that
resulted in eight deaths. The Armenian government declared a 20-day
state of emergency, forbidding even small groups from gathering in the
nation’s capital.

The Lord’s wishes

The Pope told Karekin II and his delegation that in ecumenical
dialogue, "important progress has been made in clarifying the
doctrinal controversies that have traditionally divided us,
particularly over questions of Christology. During the last five
years, much has been achieved by the Joint Commission for Theological
Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox
Churches, of which the Catholicosate of All Armenians is a full
member."

The Holy Father concluded by saying that "we pray that its activity
will bring us closer to full and visible communion, and that the day
will come when our unity in faith makes possible a common celebration
of the Eucharist. […] Only when sustained by prayer and supported by
effective cooperation, can theological dialogue lead to the unity that
the Lord wishes for his disciples."

The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of six Oriental Orthodox
Churches. These Churches separated from Rome after the Council of
Chalcedon in 451, over controversy arising from the council’s adoption
of the Christological terminology of two natures in one
person. However, most now agree that the controversy arose over
semantics, not doctrine.

Several of the Oriental Orthodox Churches have signed accords with the
Catholic Church expressing that they share the same faith regarding
Christ.

The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of those that has moved closer to
unity, notably thanks to a 1996 declaration signed by Pope John Paul
II and Patriarch Karekin I on the nature of Jesus.

More than 90% of Armenian Christians are under the Armenian Apostolic
Patriarchate.

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