Returning from Italy to Armenia, RA Minister of Diaspora described the April 12 Holy Mass served on the occasion of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide by Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica of the Vatican as a historic, glorious and breathtaking phenomenon.

Touching upon Pope Francis’s speech, Minister Hranush Hakobyan especially emphasized the fact that the Pope viewed the Armenian Genocide as the first genocide of the 20^th century and that the Armenians were killed because of their faith and national belonging. According to the Pope, it is necessary, and indeed a duty, to honor their memory, for whenever memory faces, it means that evil allows wounds to fester, and concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it.

The minister also emphasized the impressive, appropriate and pro-national speeches by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia and Catholicos Patriarch Nerses Petros XIX of the House of Cilicia, as well as the active, helpful and fruitful efforts of RA Ambassador to the Vatican Mikayel Minasyan. “The events were held as part of the official visit of the RA President to Italy. The Holy Mass held in the presence and with the participation of the head of state, the Catholicoses and the Pope became of historical and international significance. The Armenian nation and state took another step as a nation united as one and will continue the struggle to achieve the ultimate goal, that is, the solution to Armenian Cause,” the minister said.

Let us inform that prior to the Holy Mass at the Vatican, the minister had also attended the church ceremony held by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and Cardinal Sepe at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Naples, as well as the opening and consecration ceremonies of an Armenian Genocide memorial, that is, a duplicate of one of the cross-stones of Julfa.