The first Genocide of the twentieth century was perpetrated against Armenians, Pope Francis said during a Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite in St. Peter's Basilica to mark 100 years since the Armenian Genocide. (photos)
The pontiff pointed at three greatest tragedies of the past century, and the first was genocide perpetrated against Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians in the Ottoman Empire. The second two were Nazism and Stalinism.
Pope said it is necessary to remember the crimes, as “denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it.”
Pope Francis thanked President of Armenia Serzh Sagsyan for being present at the ceremony. His Holiness greeted Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I, Armenian Catholic Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX.
