Zenit News Agency, Italy
March 7 2008
Armenian Patriarch’s Greeting to Cardinal Bertone
"We Stand Together in Prayer With Our Clergy and Faithful"
VAGHARSHAPAT, Armenia, MARCH 6, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the
welcome address Karekin II, supreme patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, gave Tuesday upon greeting Benedict XVI’s secretary of
state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who is visiting Armenia this week.
* * *
Your Eminence,
It is our pleasure and joy to greet Your Eminence in the spiritual
center of all Armenians — the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin,
on the occasion of your visit to Armenia and our Mother See on behalf
of our dear brother in Christ, His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope of
Rome.
We are also happy to welcome the delegation that has accompanied Your
Eminence on this pilgrimage to Armenia, and pleases us greatly to
greet here today the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the
Vatican, His Excellency Edward Nalbandian, and thank him for his
service to our two states.
We offer thanks to Almighty God in heaven, that today we witness the
historical ties between our two Churches filled with fraternal love
and a spirit of collaboration, with new achievements and programs
that crown our divine mission with success.
In the not too distant past, our predecessors of blessed memory
established the foundations for our cooperation through their
luminous and wise decisions, which were reinforced through reciprocal
visitations, mutual respect and an atmosphere of trust.
The relationship today shall continue in that same spirit and along
the path drawn by our fathers, contributing positively to our common
witness and prayerful collaboration in this world filled with
challenges and trials, for the glory of God and the welfare of our
faithful sons and daughters.
At this moment, we fondly recall our visit to the Vatican in 2000,
and the visit of His Holiness John Paul II of blessed memory to
Armenia, which opened new avenues of opportunity for our two Churches
in the sphere of warm and brotherly relations.
We wish to extend through Your Eminence, to His Holiness, our dear
Brother in Christ, Pope Benedict XVI, our thanks for his cordial
attitude to the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian
people, which manifests itself in many spheres. A living example of
this is the numerous opportunities afforded by the Catholic church to
our young clergyman who are continuing their theological educations
in Catholic universities and institutions of higher learning
throughout the world. We further extend our appreciation to His
Holiness for the recent allocation of the Saint Biagio church in Rome
to the Armenian community of Italy to serve their spiritual and
pastoral needs.
Our commendation also to His Excellency Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti,
Nuncio for Armenia, whose efforts directed at bringing our two
Churches and states closer together are very much appreciated.
Dear Cardinal, your presence here today provides deep consolation to
us, as we stand together in prayer with our clergy and faithful,
offering our appeal to God for the sake of our country in these
difficult days, asking for our wounds to quickly heal and for the
complex problems facing our nation and society to receive their just
solutions.
Please convey our warmest greetings to His Holiness Benedict XVI. We
are hopeful that the Almighty shall grant us the joyful opportunity
to meet, and to reconfirm and reinforce our friendship and brotherly
love in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Welcome to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Welcome to Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
