GROWING IN COMMUNION
The Second Vatican Council recognised that the elements of sanctification and truth present
in the other Churches and Ecclesial Communities constitute the objective basis of the real,
albeit incomplete communion (UR 3), which already exists between them and the Catholic
Church. Hence the ecumenical challenge: how can Churches grow towards full and visible
communion, through dialogue, prayer, conversion, renewal and cooperation? The Church of
Rome and the Armenian Apostolic Church are still joined to one another “in a very close
relationship” (UR 15); they can apply to one another the traditional designation of “sister
churches”, which local Churches were fond of applying to one another (UR 14). Which
elements of communion, already uniting the Church of Rome and the Armenian Apostolic
Church could be furthermore deepened or explored in our seeking to restore full communion?
No bilateral theological dialogue was established between the Church of Rome and the
Armenian Church. Nevertheless, serious theological reflection took place on many important
occasions, i.e. on the occasion of the various encounters between the Bishop of Rome and
both the Catholicoi of the Armenian Church. During each of these encounters official
addresses were pronounced and ‘Common Declarations’ were signed. These documents
reflect an ongoing and shared process of ecumenical reflection on issues of major theological,
spiritual and pastoral importance.
The following table gives an overview of the successive visits of both catolicoi to the Bishop
of Rome. The last column refers to the issues of Information Service, published by the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, referring to all the documents concerning
the respective visits.
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2
3
4
5
6
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Date
1967, 8-11 May
1970, 8-12 May
1983, 15-19 April
1996, 10-14 December
1997, 23-26 January
1999, 23-26 March
2000, 9-11 November
Catholicos
Khoren I
Vasken I
Karekin II
Karekin I
Aram I
Karekin I
Karekin II
Catholicosate
Cilicia
Etchmiadzine
Cilicia
Etchmiadzine
Cilicia
Etchmiadzine
Etchmiadzine
Pope
Paul VI
Paul VI
John Paul II
John Paul II
John Paul II
John Paul II
John Paul II
I.S.
1967/3
11; 1970/3
51; 1983/1-2
94; 1997/1
95; 1997/2-3
102; 1999/4
105; 2000/4
Some remarks to complete this picture: (1) both the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzine and Cilicia
sent official observers to the Second Vatican Council; (2) the Armenian Patriarchs of Istanbul
and Jerusalem also visited Rome and the Pope, on several occasions; (3) a gesture of profound
symbolic and spiritual meaning was the meditation of the Via Crucis of Good Friday 1997 at
the Coliseum in Rome (presided by Pope John Paul II), written by Catholicos Karekin I of
Etchmiadzine (I.S. 95; 1977/2-3); (4) during the funeral of Catholicos Karekin I in the
Cathedral of Etchmiadzine, at the moment of the salute to his mortal remains, Cardinal
Cassidy read a letter that Pope John Paul II had had the intention of sending some days earlier
to the Catholicos (I.S. 102; 1999/4); (5) Pope John Paul II visited Armenia and the See of
Holy Etchmiadzine on 25-27 September 2001 (I.S. 108; 2001/IV) .
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1. Communion in faith: resolving the Christological question
Since the Armenian Apostolic Church did not formally accept the dogmatic definitions of the
Council of Chalcedon (351), Christological issues prevented the Catholic Church and the
Armenian Apostolic Church to share full communion. Great progress was made during the
last decade in resolving this dogmatic disagreement, so much so that it is no longer considered
a divisive barrier between us.
Common Declaration of Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin I (1996):
“They particularly welcome the great advance that their Churches have registered in their
common search for unity in Christ, the Word of God made flesh. Perfect God as to his
divinity, perfect man as to his humanity in the Person of the Only-begotten Son of God, in a
union which is real, perfect, without confusion, without alteration, without division, without
any form of separation. The reality of this common faith in Jesus Christ and in the same
succession of apostolic ministry has at times been obscured and ignored.”
Common Declaration of Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Aram I (1997):
“For two millenniums, unity of faith in Jesus Christ, God’s gift, was maintained as essential,
despite Christological and ecclesiological controversies which were frequently based on
historical, political, or sociological factors. This communion of faith, already affirmed in
recent decades by their predecessors during their meetings, was solemnly affirmed recently at
the meeting of H.H. John Paul II with H.H. Catholicos Karekin I. Today the Bishop of Rome,
Successor of Peter, and the Catholicos of Cilicia pray that their communion of faith in Jesus
Christ may progress because of the blood of the martyrs and the fidelity of the Fathers to the
Gospel and the apostolic Tradition, manifesting itself in the rich diversity of their respective
ecclesial traditions. Such a community of faith must be concretely expressed in the life of the
faithful and must lead us towards full communion.”
2. Communion in apostolic succession and sacramental life
As to the ecclesial character of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Catholic Church fully
recognises her apostolicity and the validity of her sacramental life. Though not yet in full
communion with the Church of Rome, the Catholic Church recognises and reveres the
Armenian Apostolic Church as a particular Church, in the proper sense of the word.
Homily of Pope John Paul II, visit of Catholicos Aram I (1997)
“The embrace of peace between the Catholicos and the bishop of Rome, Successor of the
Apostle Peter, and the blessing they will impart together in the Lord’s name, testify to their
mutual recognition of the legitimacy of the apostolic succession. Even in the diversity of
tasks entrusted to each, we are co-responsible together for what binds us: to transmit faithfully
the faith received from the Apostles, to witness to the love of Christ for every human being in
the frequently tragic situations of the contemporary world, to strengthen our progress towards
the full unity of Christ’s disciples.”
Address of Pope John Paul II to Catholicos Karekin I (1996)
“By virtue of the apostolic succession, which enables us mutually to recognize the validity of
the ministerial priesthood and the episcopacy, our Churches celebrate the same sacraments,
particularly Baptism and the Eucharist. Thus our Churches can together glorify God, the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and be the sign and sacrament of the loving plan of God
who wishes to gather into one all his scattered children (cf. Jn 11:52).”
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3. Communion in martyrdom and holiness
The history of Armenian Christianity was characterised by successive and often terrible
periods of persecution and oppression. Martyrdom became a basic feature of the Armenian
identity. Above all ecclesial divisions, martyrs and saints of all ecclesial traditions are
already one in Christ. Their names are written in the one and undivided “Martyrologium” of
the Church of God. Thus they pave the way and drive us forward to the communion, we are
still longing and praying for.
Homily of Pope John Paul II, visit of Catholicos Aram I (1997)
“May the blood of our martyrs and the communion of our saints help us to be renewed in the
Tradition we have in common.”
Address of Pope John Paul II to Catholicos Karekin I (1999)
“In times long past, saintly Armenians showed great enthusiasm for the unity of the Church,
with respect for the unity of the Church, with respect for the dignity of all and for the specific
character of each. They were ahead of their times, proclaiming values which were not fully
understood. Now that those values have become part of our universal patrimony, we can be
no less than they were: we must have the courage to undertake holy actions which will
overcome prejudices and stereotypes.”
4. Communion: unity in diversity
Though full and visibile unity is the ultimate aim of ecumenism, this unity is not to be
identified with uniformity, with the loss of particularity or autonomy. On the contrary, the
communion we are working for is to be conceived as unity in diversity and diversity in unity.
Ecumenism should not impoverish, but enrich the diversity of ecclesial traditions in the one
Body of Christ.
Address of Pope John Paul II to Catholicos Karekin II (1983)
“Your history offers magnificent testimony to the fact that the Gospel gives its true
countenance to each people, as it does to each human being. The diversity that results from
this fact, diversity of temperaments which becomes in time diversity of usages and customs, is
not only in no way opposed to the unity of the Church, but “increases its beauty and affords
its invaluable assistance for the accomplishment of its mission” (UR, 16). The peculiar
richness with which each is endowed is fully preserved and can be developed only in the
measure that it is intended for the good of all. The clear awareness of this nourishes the
passion for the unity of the Church; if the Spirit endows each man and each woman, each
family of the People of God with a particular gift, he does so in order to enable each member
to fulful his function in the unique body of Christ.”
Common Declaration of Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin II (1983)
“Moreover, it is important that there be continued common theological research - the dialogue
of faith - animated by the more and more clear and refined awareness that, within the unity of
the faith, diversity is a divine richness and an indispensable condition of the unity of the
ecclesial communion.”
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Common Declaration of Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin I (1996)
“It requires closer collaboration, mutual confidence and a greater degree of concern for
common action. It presumes and requires an attitude of service which is not self-seeking and
which is characterised by a mutual respect for the fidelity of the faithful to their own
Churches and Christian traditions.”
5. Communion between the Church of Rome and the Armenian Apostolic Church
Thoughout the history of Christianity, exchanges and mutual help characterised the relations
between the Church of Rome and the Armenian Apostolic Church. The latter, indeed,
assumed many elements from the surrounding ecclesial traditions, and melted them into a
particular identity.
As a consequence of the Armenian genocide, numerous armenian
Christians had to leave their homelands for a worldwide diaspora, sharing henceforth daily
life with Christians of many other traditions. Armenians church leaders, moreover, were
among the first protagonists of the ecumenical movement. These past and present events are
an urgent incentive for both the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church to
strengthen their collaboration and to hasten the day they will be in full communion once
more.
Address of Pope John Paul II to Catholicos Karekin I (1999)
“The relationship between Armenia and Rome preceded the coming of Christianity, but
Christianity soon became the very reason for that relationship. For many centuries, free from
the misunderstandings and divisions which arose between the West and the Greek world, this
relationship was marked by cordial good will. The embassies which the Armenian Church
sent to Rome were received as an attestation to a pure and consistent faith. On numerous
occasions the Popes sent gifts of fraternal esteem, and it is significant that today the mitre and
the crosier are still part of the sacred vesture of Armenian prelates. The Armenian Kingdom
of Cilicia was a privileged meeting-point for Latins, Greeks and Syrians: a remarkable
commitment to ecumenical fraternity flourished there. Communion between the Armenian
Church in that region and the Church of Rome reached an intensity perhaps never attained in
other cases. The cultural exchange was fruitful and beneficial, despite considerable
difficulties. If it failed to yield more lasting fruits, this was in part due to the intransigence of
some who perhaps were not able to appreciate fully the value of so providential an
opportunity. On the Roman side, some of this lack of understanding was the result of tragic
internal conflicts in the Western Church and the emergence of new canonical and theological
concepts which made it more difficult to understand the ancient spiritual heritage of the East.
For us today all of this is a motive of profound regret, and it obliges us not to overlook the
opportunities which the Spirit is giving us in calling all Christ’s followers to communion.”
Homily of Pope John Paul II, visit of Catholicos Karekin II (2000)
“Through history there have been many contacts between the Catholic Church and the
Armenian Apostolic Church, and there have been various attempts to restore full communion.
Now we must pray and work fervently that the day will soon come when our Sees and the
Bishops will be in full communion once more, when we can celebrate together, at the same
Altar, the Eucharist as the supreme sign and source of unity in Christ. Until that day dawns,
each of our Eucharistic celebrations will suffer the absence of the brother who is not yet
there.”
Mgr Johan Bonny
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
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