Armenian Patriarch Minassian: Persecution has strengthened Christian hope and identity

Armenian Catholic Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian emphasized the significance of his Church’s centuries-old and continuing presence in the Middle East, despite the grave challenges its faithful have endured, including massacres, genocide, famine, and other hardships.

He described this endurance as a sign of hope and resilience that strengthens him to continue in the footsteps of his forebears and live the faith according to their example.

In an exclusive interview with EWTN News, conducted in cooperation with its Middle East and North Africa sister news outlet ACI MENA, Minassian said the Armenian Catholic Church, like all Churches in communion with the universal Church, remains committed to its vocation of living out and bearing witness to the faith through good example and serving its people with love and an open heart.

Our Lady of Bzommar Monastery: A witness to resilience Minassian pointed to the resilience of Our Lady of Bzommar Monastery, which has housed the historic seat of the Armenian Catholic patriarchal see in Lebanon for several centuries. Despite the many hardships endured by the monastery and its residents over the years, it remains standing today.…