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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis spoke to Armenian civil authorities, including President Serž Sargsyan and the diplomatic corps, on Friday in the capital Yerevan on his 14th Apostolic Journey abroad.In remarks prepared for the occasion and delivered in Italian, the Holy Father recalled the Armenian president's visit to the Vatican last year for the centenary of the Metz Yeghern (or 'Great Evil'). He said, "Sadly, that tragedy, that genocide, was the first of the deplorable series of catastrophes of the past century, made possible by twisted racial, ideological or religious aims that darkened the minds of the tormentors even to the point of planning the annihilation of entire peoples."He also paid homage to the Armenian people "who, illuminated by the light of the Gospel, even at the most tragic moments of their history, have always found in the cross and resurrection of Christ the strength to rise again and take up their journey anew with dignity&...
(Vatican Radio) Also on Friday, Pope Francis appointed Indian Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt Apostolic Nuncio to Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic in central Asia. Archbishop Chullikatt who is already Apostolic Nuncio to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, based in Kazakh capital Astana, was the Holy See’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York from 2010 to 2014. Before that, the 63 year old prelate from southern Indian’s Kerala state served as Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan and Iraq. He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1988 and served in the Holy See’s missions in Honduras, in various countries of southern Africa, in the Philippines, at the UN and in the Secretariat of State in the Vatican.
With less than a month to the 17th Plenary Assembly of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), preparations are underway to bring together over 100 delegates in the Angolan capital of Luanda.The theme of the Plenary is “The family in Africa, yesterday, today, and tomorrow: in the light of the gospel.”According to the provisional program emailed to invited participants, members of SECAM’ Standing Committee will meet on Monday, 18 July, ahead of the plenary scheduled to open officially with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at the Holy Family Parish in Luanda.SECAM President, Archbishop Gabriel Mbilingi of Lubango, Angola, is scheduled to preside over the deliberations.New pastoral challenges facing the African family today and finding new ways of evangelising the families; the influence of modern media and new ideologies on the family in Africa today; making SECAM stronger and a more committed family of God on the continent are...
Yerevan, Jun 24, 2016 / 07:24 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Praying at the main cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church at the start of his three-day visit to the Caucasus nation, Pope Francis praised the “spirit of ecumenism,” and its role in promoting human dignity against “grave forms of material and spiritual poverty.”“We offer to the world – which so urgently needs it – a convincing witness that Christ is alive and at work, capable of opening new paths of reconciliation among the nations, civilizations and religions,” the Pope said Friday. “We offer a credible witness that God is love and mercy.”The Pope made these remarks during his visit to the St. Etchmiadzin cathedral at the invitation of Karekin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is believed to be the oldest cathedral in the world.The Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenia's national church, is an Oriental Orthodox Church to which 93 percent of th...
IMAGE: CNS/Paul HaringBy Cindy WoodenABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT TOARMENIA (CNS) -- Commenting on the peace agreement reached in Colombia, PopeFrancis hailed the end of "more than 50 years of war and guerilla warfareand so much bloodshed."Pope Francis told reportersflying with him to Armenia June 24 that he prayed Colombia would "neverreturn to a state of war" again.Although he usually does notanswer questions on his flights from Rome to other countries, Pope Francis wasasked by his spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, to comment on both theColombia agreement and the results of a June 23 referendum in England onmembership in the European Union.The decision to leave the EU"was the will expressed by the people," the pope said.The English decision, he said,"requires great responsibility on the part of all of us to guarantee thegood of the people of the United Kingdom and the good and coexistence of thewhole European continent."After his brief response to thequestions, Pope Francis ...
IMAGE: CNS photo/Remo Casilli, ReutersBy Cindy WoodenYEREVAN, Armenia (CNS) -- A solid, sorrow-tested Christianfaith gives believers the strength to overcome even the most horrificadversity, forgive one's enemies and live in peace, Pope Francis said.Arriving in Armenia June 24, Pope Francis went straight tothe twin concerns of his three-day visit: Promoting Christian unity andhonoring the determined survival of Armenian Christianity despite a historicmassacre and decades of Soviet domination.The high profile of the pope's ecumenical concern and the importance of faith in Armenian culture were highlighted by making the trip'sfirst official appointment a visit to the cathedral of the Armenian ApostolicChurch at Etchmiadzin.The arrival ceremony at the airport was defined as informal,but featured a review of the troops and a greeting by a young boy and a younggirl, who offered Pope Francis the traditional gifts of bread and salt. Hisentrance into Holy Etchmiadzin, as it commonly is kno...
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- "Top Gun" actress Kelly McGillis says she was attacked by a stranger in her North Carolina home....
DALLAS (AP) -- More than 30 people who attended an event with motivational speaker Tony Robbins have been treated for burns after Robbins encouraged them to walk on hot coals as a way of conquering their fears, Dallas fire officials said....
LAKE ISABELLA, Calif. (AP) -- Residents choking on smoke fled a wildfire that tore through mountain communities and burned dozens of homes to the ground in California's southern Sierra Nevada, authorities said Friday....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Even after the Orlando shooting slaughter, no one expects Congress to dramatically tighten firearms curbs. Yet a few modest election-year cracks have shown in the iron grip that Republicans and the National Rifle Association have long enjoyed on the issue....
