“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19)
The agonizing process that began on April 24, 1915 whose effects last until today, has formed an uninterrupted retrospection habit for the Armenian nation. It is not easy, The Great Catastrophe (Medz Yeghern), which melted more than half of our people, is ingrained in our social genes, handed down from generation to generation in all shades of pain, the anger and demand for justice this generates has almost become a national character. So much so that in the sociological analysis of all the problems Armenians face, be they in the diaspora or in Armenia, Medz Yeghern is taken as a basic reference point. April 24 has been an unfortunate turning point for us. Armenians divide time as before and after it.
Naturally, this compulsory sorrow has exacted a heavy toll from the spiritual realm of the Armenians. Pain, most of the time, does not allow for a normal existence. Making sense of pain is one of the most difficult things there is. But you have to make sense of it. For you will always have paths to walk and work to do, you’ll have obligations and aspirations. As long as the pain lingers, you are imprisoned in a speechless rebellion, you paint the present black with all the shades of the past and you finally condemn yourself to withering away in a life of gray. Pain, especially great sorrows, are also the biggest obstructors of productivity and new growth.
Sooner or later, it is a necessity to break away from the vortex of traumas caused by past catastrophes. Even though mourning is one of the processes of recovery, it cannot be a forever sustainable attitude. Thousands of years ago, when Children of Israel moaned under such blows and could not let go of the bad memories of the past, God, through one of the ancient prophets, Isaiah, informed them that their pessimistic attitude was faulty and invited them to hope:
“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18 -19
Every day, this enormous universe opens up to new horizons with new possibilities. Time does not consist of only the past and the present. The future is ready to bless individuals and nations with a thousand surprises. Hope gushes out of the most unexpected corners. As long as the seed lives, it finds its way even through the rock. The Righteous Judge of the Universe has of course
prepared “roads in the desert and rivers in arid lands” for the oppressed. Every day dawns with a new sun and fresh opportunities. We need to be able to let go of the troubles of the past, even if it is for a while, so that we can learn to rely on our inner power, to better grasp the value of what we have and be grateful for God’s eternal blessings.
Armed with this wisdom, in 2015, our Holy Apostolic Armenian Church lifted the 100-year veil of mourning over April 24 and turned it into a feast of Saint Martyrs worthy of celebration. Today, we remember all the children of our people, the clergy and the civilians,who lost their lives in the days of World War I and we ask for their intercession and blessings, seeing now that they classify as saints. “They are classified as saints.” Today is a day we glorify the memory of countless martyrs crowned with wreaths. With her deep wisdom, The Holy Church decided to honor the memory of the countless martyrs by declaring them saints with a new law, and she anointed the torment they suffered with the bright blue of the skies. Now they all belong to the order of saints. And they fully deserve it.
If we cannot attain this spiritual gaze, the undesirable alternative is to sink into darkness and become trapped in the dead-end labyrinths of the Great Catastrophe. But we are a living people, we have paths to walk, a blue horizon to reach, and a bright future to build. When our Church lifted the veil of mourning over April 24, we unveiled not only the destruction, the tears, the lost lives, but also the diamonds of humanity formed under the pressure of tragedy. We noticed a resilience granted to very few nations, the talent to rise from its ashes, the determination to exist nonetheless, and an inexhaustible productivity to grow even out of “the leftovers of sword”. When we consider the present and the future of our people, we also have to be able to take pride in this legacy left to us from the past.
We must remember the past and remind others about it, but we must regard it as an undeniable proof of our national and religious strength, endurance, life force, and determination to exist, not as an incurable wound opened yesterday. We will remember and remind April 24 so that such inhuman events do not happen again.
However, the greatest fact we have to remember is that the geography in which we live necessitates many peoples to exist side by side and intertwined with one another. Problems from the past should be addressed in this light. Building bridges of friendship, developing cultural and commercial relations and turning geography into a bountiful table that everyone can gain from should be the duty of all of us, but especially of policy makers. The undesirable alternative to this is a geography that consumes each other with conflicts and wars and becomes arid by getting poor. A century ago, in 1914, politicians found the solution of their problems in war. They convinced their people that war was inevitable. The end result has been a history of shame for humanity.
As did our predecessors, the late patriarchs, we shall continue to offer our wishes for peace, friendship and well-being between Armenians and Turks. We shall view the events of 106 years ago as a harrowing exception to a millennium of common history, and encourage the urgent rebuilding of relations above the common ground of neighborhood and mutual gain.
When their close geographical position and historical experiences brought thereby are considered, Armenia and Turkey, as neighbors, are fated to live together. We believe that God willing, we shall salute an environment of brotherhood and love in Armenian and Turkish relationships more strongly.
We choose to be one of those who are hopeful in expecting that the neighborly ties endemic to these lands and its culture, shall be revitalized between the authorities of Armenia and Turkey as well. Both as Prime Minister and as President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been the only statesman in the history of the Republic of Turkey to publicize messages on this occasion. A spirit sharing our grief and a respect towards the children of our people who lost their lives during the deportation stands out in these messages. In our opinion, it would be appropriate to evaluate these messages as positive steps, capable of paving the way for future rapprochement. If only the joint history commission proposed by the President could be formed, at least a fifteen-year headway would have been achieved. If only the agreement protocols between Armenia and Turkey could be implemented and borders could be opened. Then the solution of the Karabakh conflict could have been transported to another medium. Still, we don’t think it’s too late. The project of creating a six-state peace basin proposed by our President for the Caucasus might bring the peace of the century to the peoples of this region.
It will facilitate constructive dialogue if the parties refrain from expressions that degrade national dignity, using more rigorous language. It saddens us to see that the sorrow of our people and the sacred memory of our ancestors are used by some countries for daily political purposes. The tension created by the fact that this issue has been brought to the agenda of the parliaments for decades does not serve the rapprochement of the two peoples. On the contrary, it causes delay of reconciliation by provoking hostile feelings. First of all, bridges of friendship and sincerity should be established. Solely in such an environment, the evaluation of historical events will be constructive and satisfactory. Third party countries are expected to provide an incentivizing contribution in this direction.
While we commemorate the unfortunate and painful events that the children of our people faced during the exile in World War I and the material and moral losses they had to bear, at the same time, another task awaits us. With respect and love, we commemorate the good, noble and God-fearing Ottoman state officials who tried to protect deported families and sufferers whenever possible, even by risking their lives when necessary, and the non-Christians who acted with the same sentiment as well. The humane stance they adopted deserves the same respect as all Christians and Christian charities that have strived to do their best. We are delighted that the undeniable humanitarian effort of those who have displayed this conscientious stance, is being remembered.
What is impossible for man is possible for God. If we want to achieve this goal, we have to have good intentions and add the prayers we offer to God Almighty to these good intentions. May God Almighty touch the hearts of the citizens of Turkey and Armenia, so that they may edify the good and the beautiful, and comprehend the importance of good neighborly relations. Let us trust in God and in His constructive interventions. We pray for our neighbors, let our neighbors pray for us, too, so that a bridge of friendship may be established between the Armenian and Turkish peoples.
In these days, while we continue to enjoy the good news of the glorious holy resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, let our merciful God hear the sound of our supplications with the intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary, all the saints of the Church, old and new, known and unknown. May the wars that cause great destruction and fights that threaten human rights come to an end. May the love, mercy and grace of God prevail forever for the development and prosperity of all humanity, regardless of race, nation or religion. Amen.
SAHAK II
Patriarch of the Armenians of Turkey
Kumkapı, Istanbul
April 23, 2021
https://www.facebook.com/TRArmenianPatriarchate/posts/1830549900438218
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