World Bulletin, Turkey
April 12 2015

Pope Francis commemorates anniversary of Armenians

Pope Francis asserts that Armenian massacre first genocide of 20th century.

World Bulletin / News Desk

Pope Francis asserts that Armenian massacre first genocide of 20th
century. Pope Francis has held a service in Vatican City for Armenians
who lost their lives in the 1915 incidents.

The spiritual leader of the world’s estimated one billion Catholics
held a rite lasting about one-and-a-half hours at St. Peter Basilica
on Sunday.

“The first ‘genocide’ of the 20th century struck Armenians,” the Pope said.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan; Catholicos Karekin II, the current
Catholicos of All Armenians and also the supreme head of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, and Aram I Keshishian, the head of the Catholicosate
of the Great House of Cilicia, also attended the rite.

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.

‘Great tragedy’

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.