Armenians residing in US welcome Pope Francis’ statement made during the mass held on Sunday in the Vatican, during which he recognized the Armenian Genocide.
“It wasn’t so much what he said as how he said it. When Pope Francis used the term “genocide” on Sunday to describe the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago, he was not breaking new ground. Pope John Paul II had written the same in 2001, and Francis had made similar references before. But the timing and setting of the pope’s remarks — a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica marking the centenary of the killings, with top Armenian religious and political leaders in attendance — drew a strong international response. Armenians worldwide expressed deep gratitude to Francis, while Turkey reacted in anger, Los Angeles Times reports.
The newspaper notes that “Francis’ comments were similarly hailed in Southern California’s large Armenian diaspora community, which has lobbied for years for official recognition of the genocide. “It's very, very exciting that the pope has the strength to say it,” said Seta Haig, a mental health therapist who attended services Sunday at St. Gregory Armenian Catholic Church in Glendale. “He is fearless. He has guts.”
“As far as the Armenian American community is concerned, the pope has taken a courageous stand despite the threats from the Republic of Turkey,” Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan said, adding that Turkey’s denial policy and the United States’ refusal to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide “have kept Armenians from moving on from the killings”. “It’s like a bleeding wound that just won’t go away,” he said. “There’s no closure, there’s no healing.”
According to The Boston Globe, Armenians in Greater Boston and its surroundings also applauded Pope Francis’ remarks, “leaving many hopeful that other world leaders will recognize the events that way”.
“This is our moment,” said Nancy Kasarjian, 75, of Newton, who sits on the board of the Armenian Women’s Welfare Association Inc. in Jamaica Plain.
The newspaper writes that Pope Francis’ words at Mass brought some local Armenians to tears of joy. “We are delighted that finally we have an important world leader, the highest religious leader, acknowledging the genocide,” said Houry Boyamian, 68, a principal at St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School in Watertown, who is the daughter of a genocide survivor. “It shows that [Pope Francis] is a champion for human rights,” Boyamian said. “It gives us a lot of hope. We hope the entire world will recognize this as genocide and this way we might prevent future genocides,” Boyamian added.
“More important, Armenians are hopeful that the pope’s declaration will lead to vast recognition of the Armenian massacre as genocide and to eventual reparations”, the newspaper writes.
