KAREKIN II: INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ESTABLISHMENT OF SAFETY AND JUSTICE WORLDWIDE
by Nana Martirosyan
Tuesday, April 14, 00:35
The Armenian Genocide Centennial urges the humanity not to be
indifferent to people’s anguish, to exert efforts to stop and prevent
crimes against humanity, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II said
during the Vatican liturgy commemorating the Armenian Genocide victims.
Karekin II recalled that a century ago the Ottoman authorities
committed the Armenian Genocide that claimed 1.5 million Armenian
lives. He said that Armenians were deported from their historical
motherland and their property was robbed. “Today our people live in the
blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan and fight for the freedom
of Artsakh people and restoration of the Armenian people’s rights,
recognition and condemnation of the Genocide”, he said.
Karekin II added that if the humanity had been able to prevent
the Armenian Genocide, it would not have been followed by the
Holocaust, genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur. “We are sure that
the international recognition of the Genocide as an example of human
rights protection and restoration of historical justice can contribute
to establishment of safety and justice all over the world”, he said.
In this light, Karekin II pointed out the significance of publication
of the documents in Vatican’s archives. On behalf of Armenian people,
he thanked those who raise the issue of the Genocide and those who
extended a helping hand to those who fled the massacre.
To note, Pope Francis himself served the liturgy. Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and other
officials from Armenia attended the liturgy. Vatican provided a 10th-
century Armenian theologian and philosopher Grigor Narekatsi with a
rank of a doctor of church.
To recall, Ankara recalled its ambassador from Vatican after Pope
Francis used the term “genocide” when describing the killings of the
Armenians in Ottoman Empire in the early XX century.