Pope

[Joseph]

Pope recalls Armenian genocide

Istanbul, Nov. 30, 2006 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) brought up the sensitive topic of the Armenian genocide-- although he did not mention it explicitly-- during a November 30 meeting with the Armenian Apostolic Patriarch of Istanbul, Mesrob II.

In his greeting to the patriarch, the Holy Father praised the Armenian people for their faithful witness to the Gospel, even under "truly tragic conditions, like those experienced in the past century." He was clearly alluding to the slaughter of Armenians under the Ottoman empire.

To this day the Turkish government refuses to acknowledge the genocidal campaign of 1915- 1917, in which an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed during massacres and forced marches, as the government of the "Young Turks" forced the relocation of an entire people. The Armenian Apostolic Church remains the largest Christian community in Turkey, but today numbers only about 50,000 faithful; in the late 19th century the number was several million. There are about 2 million members of the Church living in the country now known as Armenia.

In his remarks to Patriarch Mesrob, the Pope expressed regret over the divisions among the Christian faithful, repeating what he had said to the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew: that these divisions are "a scandal to the world" and a handicap to effective evangelization.

The Armenian Apostolic Church dates back to the year 506, when the Christian leaders of the region broke away from the Catholic Church over disagreements with the doctrines put forth by the Council of Chalcedon in 451. Those theological disputes have been resolved, and in 1996 Pope John Paul II (bio - news) and the former head of the Armenian Church, Karekin I, jointly signed a document affirming that the two churches have reached accord on the Christological issues that originally caused their separation.

Pope Benedict joined with the Armenian patriarch in a prayer service at the Armenian cathedral in Istanbul. Later he would meet with the city's grand rabbi, then end the day at a dinner with the Catholic bishops of Turkey.

[spicerisk]

Pope and Muslim cleric pray in historic mosque


· Dramatic gesture to quell claims of Islamophobia
· Benedict also seeks to end rift with Orthodox church

Ian Traynor and John Hooper in Istanbul
Friday December 1, 2006
The Guardian

Pope Benedict, who enraged the world's Muslims less than three months ago, last night stood in prayer alongside the grand mufti of Istanbul in one of Islam's greatest places of worship. The pontiff arrived in Turkey three days ago under a cloud of suspicion, accused of Islamophobia. But Vatican officials were hoping that with last night's dramatic gesture he had salvaged a triumph from adversity.
His actions were clearly aimed at healing the wounds opened by remarks Benedict quoted that depicted Islam as evil. They were a striking demonstration of a point he had made repeatedly during his visit to Turkey - that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.

[Joseph]

Pope and Muslim cleric pray in historic mosque


· Dramatic gesture to quell claims of Islamophobia
· Benedict also seeks to end rift with Orthodox church

Ian Traynor and John Hooper in Istanbul
Friday December 1, 2006
The Guardian

Pope Benedict, who enraged the world's Muslims less than three months ago, last night stood in prayer alongside the grand mufti of Istanbul in one of Islam's greatest places of worship. The pontiff arrived in Turkey three days ago under a cloud of suspicion, accused of Islamophobia. But Vatican officials were hoping that with last night's dramatic gesture he had salvaged a triumph from adversity.
His actions were clearly aimed at healing the wounds opened by remarks Benedict quoted that depicted Islam as evil. They were a striking demonstration of a point he had made repeatedly during his visit to Turkey - that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.

And from the same article:

"At St George's, the Pope indirectly took a swipe at the Turkish state, which does not recognise the Roman Catholic minority. "We urge all world leaders to respect religious freedom as a fundamental human right," he said."

[Gavur]

Pope Heads for Home After Weathering Turkish Storm

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,2256511,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

Pope Benedict XVI left Turkey on Friday after a momentous visit in which he reached out to Muslims and Orthodox Christians while standing firm on key issues such as papal authority and Europe's Christian roots.

Coming a mere 10 weeks after the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics outraged Muslims by appearing to equate Islam with violence, the four-day trip -- Pope Benedict's first to a Muslim country -- turned into a fence-mending mission.

Pope Benedict XVI lookalike

http://www.talentbookingusa.com/look-a-likes/pope-benedict-XVI.htm

[Gavur]

Pope's Silence on Armenian Genocide Shameful

Benedict Missed a Chance During His Historic Visit to Turkey


OPINION By MARK GERAGOS

Dec. 1, 2006 — After an initial foray into interfaith relations by inciting almost 2 billion Muslims with ill-advised references to the legacy of their prophet Mohammed, Pope Benedict XVI leaves Turkey with the press hailing the visit a success.

Much like the war in Iraq, however, defining the simple concept of "success" has become increasingly like declaring "mission accomplished." Case in point, the pope's recent visit to Turkey.

Continued

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=2694983&page=1

[Joseph]

Vatican recognition

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=159720

Vatican labels ‘Armenian genocide’ as fact
A high-ranking Vatican official has emphasized that the Holy See regards Armenian allegations of genocide as "a fact," a move analysts say could hamper an atmosphere of reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia at a time when the two countries are intensifying contacts to normalize relations.


"The Armenian genocide is a fact. The Vatican's stance on this issue was stated at the time during a visit to Armenia by [late Pope] John Paul II. The pope visited the genocide monument there and used the word 'genocide,' although this did not please Turkey," Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency yesterday in remarks to Vatican Radio.

The cardinal's remarks came ahead of yesterday's meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and a group of visiting Armenian clerics led by Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I, the leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Lebanon.

Kasper was referring to a September 2001 visit to Armenia by Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II. John Paul II paid his respects at the time to the Armenians killed in the last days of the Ottoman Empire. Many countries have been careful in treating the issue because any recognition of the killings as genocide is likely to rattle ties with Turkey.

"Genocide is not an allegation, but is a reality. This is not an issue of term. It is a historical fact with a lot of victims and this memory needs to be healed. I don't know what the Vatican can do to ease Turkey-Armenia relations. But this is also an important case for peace in the Middle East. First of all, the Catholic Church sides with the victims. This is the most important principle for us while determining our manners," Kasper also said.

In May of this year, taking part in a public audience by Pope Benedict XVI, the head of Armenia's Orthodox Church urged all countries to recognize that Turks committed genocide against Armenians early in the last century.

Karekin II then appealed "to all nations and lands to universally condemn all genocides that have occurred throughout history," saying that "denial of these crimes is an injustice that equals the commission of the same."

Categorically refuting genocide charges, Turkey says the killings of Anatolian Armenians came when Armenians revolted against the Ottoman Empire in collaboration with an invading Russian army.




25 November 2008, Tuesday

TODAY'S ZAMAN WITH WIRES ANKARA