ISTANBUL – Pope Leo XIV’s Visit to Armenia Cathedral

Pope Leo XIV visited Istanbul’s Armenian Apostolic Cathedral on Sunday, extending prayers and support for Christian unity and the Christian minority in Turkey.

This gesture, while ecumenical in nature, suggests a subtle endorsement of ongoing efforts to mend the historical rift between Turkey and Armenia, which has been marred by genocide and long-standing mistrust.

Around 1.5 million Armenians suffered during genocides, deportations, and forced marches beginning in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Many historians categorize this as genocide.

Turkey disputes this, asserting that the numbers are exaggerated and that the deaths resulted from civil unrest rather than systematic genocide. The country actively works to thwart recognition of these events as genocide by other nations.

During Pope Francis’s visit to Turkey in 2014, he notably avoided Armenian landmarks but made an impromptu visit to a hospital where Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II was receiving care. The following year, Francis stirred controversy in Turkey by referring to the Armenian genocide as “the first genocide of the 20th century” during his visit to Armenia.

In contrast, Pope Leo, during his initial six months, remained largely uncontroversial, only hinting at historical suffering during his service.

“This visit allowed us to give thanks for the brave Christian witness of Armenians, often amid tragic circumstances,” Leo remarked.

Richard Giragossian, from the Yerevan-based Center for Regional Studies, believes Leo’s visit signifies a stride towards normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia and is likely to bolster those efforts.

“This visit symbolizes not only a closer relationship between the Vatican and the Armenian Church but also promotes a sense of normalization between Armenia and Turkey,” Giragossian commented.

Pope Leo’s trip, coinciding with the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, marks his first foreign visit. He was scheduled to continue to Lebanon afterward.

Turkey and Armenia lack formal diplomatic relations and have kept their border closed since the 1990s. However, they agreed in 2021 to pursue normalization and designated special envoys to foster reconciliation and potentially reopen borders.

These discussions are occurring alongside efforts to reduce tensions with Azerbaijan, Turkey’s close ally, particularly following Azerbaijan’s support during the 2020 conflict with Armenia over the disputed Karabakh region.

This June, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Turkey for a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Pashinyan later indicated that while recognition of the genocide wasn’t a current priority for his government, it remains an “indisputable fact” for Armenians.

Pope Leo was not anticipated to directly address the genocide acknowledgment.

“That’s not part of the normalization effort, clearly,” Giragossian noted, emphasizing that discussing genocide was off the table during this visit.

“It doesn’t matter if we acknowledge genocide today,” noted Mardik Evadian, an Armenian businessman present at the service. “We live here, and we’re happy.”

Pope Leo participated in a traditional service, led by Sahak II Masharyan, the Patriarch of the Patriarchal Church of the Virgin Mary, as around 500 Armenian worshippers gathered, showcasing a rich musical heritage.

The ceremony culminated with Pope Leo unveiling a marble inscription in his honor.

Previous popes, including Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, had visited the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral during their respective trips to Istanbul.

Sahak expressed that the Holy See has historically been a moral compass, voicing concerns for the dignity of all and standing with embattled Christian communities. “The Armenian people remember those who supported them during hardship,” he affirmed.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni indicated that Leo’s visit encapsulated an acknowledgment of the deep roots that Armenian Christians have in the region.

In Armenia, local residents like Armen Arshakyan, 65, expressed skepticism about the visit altering Turkey’s stance but considered it a step towards recognizing Armenian history. “This reminds the world of the challenges we face,” he commented.

Maria Petrosyan, 31, from Yerevan, viewed the visit as not particularly globally significant, but she valued the pope’s ongoing dialogue with diverse churches.

This visit unfolds amid heightened tensions in the Caucasus, particularly between Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Since April, large protests led by clerics against Pashinyan’s normalization efforts have taken place, resulting in arrests and calls to oust the government.

Earlier this year, the Vatican and Azerbaijan initiated a cooperation agreement focused on interreligious dialogue, causing discontent among some Armenians. Bruni refrained from addressing recent concerns regarding the Vatican’s relationship with Azerbaijan.

This agreement followed a conference co-organized by the Azerbaijani government that was met with backlash, as many accused Azerbaijan of distorting historical narratives about Armenian presence in the region.

Meanwhile, the Vatican reportedly engages in supportive, behind-the-scenes efforts aiming to secure the release of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan, with reports suggesting 23 individuals are currently imprisoned in Baku.