Cardinal's visit to Armenia kindles Ecumenical hopes for union

During a meeting with Patriarch Karekin II, leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone delivered a letter from Pope Benedict XVI, which could pave the way for significant ecumenical developments.

The hand-written letter from the Pope invited Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, to visit him in Rome later this year.

Highlighting the significance of the invitation, Neville Kyrke-Smith, National Director of Aid to the Church in Need (UK), said: "Ecumenically, there is the possibility of some form of unity between the Armenian Apostolic Church and Rome, which could be a big step in terms of understanding between East and West."

A commitment to recover full communion between the two churches was made by Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Karekin I when they met in December 1996.

Mr Kyrke-Smith, who visited ACN-backed projects in Armenia last year, said: "We heard whispers when we were out there that that the Catholicos might be invited to visit Rome with a party from the Armenian Church."

Catholicos Karekin II and Cardinal Bertone said that the two churches would continue to strengthen ties and pledged "to know one another better, to appreciate each other's incomparable spiritual heritage, and to love one another, confirming our equal calling to serve mankind as is required by our one Lord Jesus Christ."

The Armenian Apostolic Church split from Rome in the fourth century following misunderstandings at the Council of Chalcedon over the language used to describe Jesus's divinity and humanity.

The patriarch and the cardinal also prayed together for the souls of the victims killed the previous weekend and asked "the Lord to keep and protect the Armenian people and reinforce them with faith, hope and love".

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone's visit was delayed after at least eight people died and more than 130 were injured when security forces opened fire on demonstrators protesting over disputed presidential elections.

The Vatican Secretary of State had originally planned to start his visit in Armenia on 2nd March, but postponed his arrival until 4th March.

Leaving the country on Thursday (6th March), the cardinal continued on to Azerbaijan where he attended the inauguration of the first Catholic church in the country, the Church of the Immaculate Conception in the capital Baku.

Aid to the Church in Need has a long record of providing support for Christians in Armenia including summer catechetical camps for children, help for those orphaned by the 1988 earthquake, transport for Sisters in remote areas, and assistance to rebuild churches.

Mr Kyrke-Smith said "Strategically this is an important part of the world" and the Christian roots and growth have to be nurtured, on the edge of the Islamic world in an uncertain post-Soviet society.

"ACN is committed to helping the faithful in Armenia at this challenging time and in to the future, with the help and prayers of our benefactors."

For further information please contact the Sydney office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web:www.aidtochurch.org

This story was published By Mr. John Newton at Aid To The Church In Need

---------------------------

Catholicos of All Armenians and Vatican Secretary of State Issue Communique
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services Mar 5, 2008 8:34 AM

Joint Communiqué
Released on the Occasion of the Meeting of
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians
and His Eminence Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, Secretary of State of the Holy See

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Eminence Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, Secretary of State of the Holy See, came together in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin with a holy greeting of peace and offered their fervent prayers to Almighty God in heaven.

The State Secretary, Cardinal Bertone, conveyed the warmest greetings of unity in Jesus Christ and the fraternal love of His Holiness Benedict XVI, the Pope of Rome, to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. Cardinal Bertone also presented a handwritten letter to the Catholicos from the Pope with his invitation to visit the See of St. Peter.

His Holiness and His Eminence offered their gratitude to God for this cordial meeting - a sign of the continuing development of ties between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church - to know one another better, to appreciate each other’s incomparable spiritual heritage, and to love one another, confirming their equal calling to serve mankind as is required by our one Lord Jesus Christ. They agreed to continue taking steps on these blessed paths.

The Catholicos and the Cardinal appealed to God during these difficult days for Armenia , so that peace and reconciliation be established within the country. They prayed together for the souls of the victims and asked the Lord to keep and protect the Armenian people and reinforce them with faith, hope and love.

The Cardinal expressed the complete support of the Catholic Church to the Armenian Church, for her efforts utilizing her high moral standing, aimed at providing solutions to all concerns through the promotion of dialogue and peaceful means and fostering a common sense of responsibility, so that the dignity of the Armenian people and state remain unharmed within international society.

His Holiness and His Eminence jointly entreated the Most High to make statesmen and politicians realize that politics is also a spiritual calling, which demands honesty, mutual respect, love, tolerance and defense of the rights of the poor and vulnerable.

May God bless Armenia and all Armenians - the first Christian people in the world - so that all of Christendom can continue