Pope Francis and Armenian
Patriarchs bless a bronze statue of St Gregory of Narek
 |
| St Gregory of Narek in the Vatican Gardens. |
On the occasion of the visit of an Armenian delegation with
Pope Francis, a statue of St Gregory of Narek is blessed in the Vatican
Gardens.
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp
In the company of outgoing Armenian President,
Serzh Sargsyan, and with the participation of two Patriarchs of
the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the Patriarch of
the Armenian Catholic Church, Pope
Francis presided over the inauguration and blessing of
the statue of St Gregory of Narek in the Vatican
Gardens.
Background of the event
The ground for today’s ceremony was laid by Pope Francis
on 12 April 2015 when he celebrated Mass in St Peter’s
marking the centenary of the genocide of a million and a half Armenians whom
the Pope referred to as martyrs. “A century has passed since that horrific
massacre which was a true martyrdom of your people, in which many innocent
people died as confessors and martyrs for the name of Christ,” Pope Francis
said on that occasion.
During that same liturgy, Pope Francis elevated St Gregory
of Narek to the dignity of Doctor of the Universal Church. The Pope
characterized St Gregory as a monk who “knew how to express the sentiments of
your people more than anyone,” and who, as “an extraordinary interpreter of the
human soul, offers words which are prophetic for us.”
Later in June 2016, he visited Armenia. Calling the genocide
“the first of the deplorable series of catastrophes of the past century,” Pope
Francis praised the faith of 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.”
Significance of the event
Today’s occasion is the high point of an ecumenical journey
between the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church. For the first
time in history, all three Armenian Church leaders are gathered together with
the Roman Pontiff. It is something that Pope Francis prayed for in 2015.
“Through the redemptive power of Christ’s sacrifice, may the blood which has
been shed bring about the miracle of the full unity of his disciples. In
particular, may it strengthen the bonds of fraternal friendship which already
unite the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church.”
The event does not end today in the Vatican Gardens. A copy
of the same statue is currently in production and will be placed in the gardens
of the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin where an inauguration ceremony will be held at
the end of 2018. The Cathedral of Etchmiadzin is the mother church of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, and is considered by scholars to be the oldest
Cathedral build in ancient Armenia, and is among one of the oldest Cathedrals
in the world.
St Gregory of Narek
St Gregory of Narek is recognized as a Saint in both the
Catholic Church, being venerated in a particular way among Catholics of the
Armenian Rite, and in the Armenian Apostolic Church.
His legacy lives on through this ecumenical effort which is
centered on him. In an interview with Vatican News, Mikayel Minasyan,
Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Holy See, described St Gregory of
Narek as a symbol of brotherhood and a bridge between the two Churches and for
all Christians, “above all those of the Middle East”.
Gregory of Narek was a 10th century Armenian monk, poet, and
mystical writer and composer. His most well-known literary work is a book of
prayers, known as the “Book of Lamentations”. It is considered a masterpiece of
Armenian literature. St Gregory himself defined the work as an “encyclopedia of
prayer for all nations”. He hoped that his book would provide guidance in
prayer for people of all walks of life in order to reach God.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét