Nations may fear 'legal consequences' of recognizing Armenian genocide, says Lebanese prelate

April 24, 2015

Many nations are afraid to acknowledge the Armenian genocide because “they fear the legal consequences,” according to Maronite Catholic Patriarch Bechara Rai.

In a statement released from Yerevan, Armenia, where he was participating in a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the genocide, the Lebanese prelate argued that it is important to recognize the reality of the Armenian genocide, “to avoid a repeat of other genocides.” Before traveling to Yerevan, he had said that Turkey in particular should recognize its responsibility for the campaign that killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians.

As the Armenian Apostolic Church recognized all of the genocide victims as martyrs, the ceremonies in Yerevan drew a number of leaders from other Christian churches, including Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem II, and Cardinal Kurt Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity.

 

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Further information:

• Maronite Patriarch: they avoid naming the Armenian genocide for fear of legal consequences (Fides)
• Turkey must acknowledge Armenian genocide, says Maronite Patriarch (CWN, 4/22)