MESSAGE OF Cardinal Kurt Koch
on the election of his beatitude Sahak II
armenian patriarch of constantinople

18 December 2019

To His Beatitude Sahak II
Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople

It is with joy that I received the news of the election of Your Beatitude as 85th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople. I gladly extend to you and to the clergy and faithful of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church in Turkey my good wishes and closeness in prayer, asking the Lord for abundant blessings and every spiritual gift to sustain your lofty ministry.

I give thanks to God for the enduring Christian faith and witness of the Armenian people in Turkey, transmitted from one generation to the next, often in very difficult circumstances.

It is my prayer that Your Beatitude may be blessed with Spirit-filled insight and discernment, in the awareness of the importance for all Christians to bear witness together to our faith in a world that so desperately needs to hear the Good News of the Incarnation that we celebrate in these days.

With the renewed assurance of my prayer,

Yours sincerely

Cardinal Koch
President