"We will ask forgiveness from this sea that is ours."

Welcoming address by Bishop Vartan Kirakos Kazanjian at the Armenian Cathedral, Saturday, July 5.
Learn from the sea,
a call for purification and brotherhood.
“Your Eminence,
Your Excellencies,
Dear bishops and priests,
beloved brothers and sisters,
and the young members of the Med25 team,
I have the great honor of welcoming you to this Armenian Catholic Cathedral in Istanbul, a sacred place built in the mid-19th century. The Armenian community is one of the Christian communities of the modern Republic of Turkey, deeply rooted in the history and culture of this country.
I also have the joy of celebrating today with the head of the Syriac Catholic community, Monsignor Orhan Canli, and of the Chaldean community, Monsignor Sabri Anar, as well as with His Excellency Monsignor Martin Kmetec, Archbishop of Izmir and President of the Bishops' Conference of Turkey, who represents the Latin community. We also remember the Latin Vicar Apostolic of Istanbul, Monsignor Massimiliano, who was unable to be with us today.
This gathering reflects our multicultural reality within the Catholic Church. We are also joined by Orthodox families, the Armenian Apostolic Community, and many smaller Protestant communities. These Christian communities, although a minority in this beautiful country, enrich its spiritual and cultural fabric.
True ecumenism is experienced when we face and overcome our daily challenges together. The same is true for coexistence among different religions. We are men and women of cities, living together in shared spaces and shared destinies. Today, we gather to celebrate the Istanbul leg of a long and meaningful journey that began on March 1 and will end in October 2025. Nearly 200 young people, aged 20 to 35, from diverse nationalities, cultures, and religions, divided into eight groups, will take turns aboard the Bel-Espoir, a three-masted schooner. This ship is the symbol of our will and our hope.
This ship will help us build new bridges, create new connections, and foster a more inclusive and communicative future. If you'll allow me, my first thought will be to learn something very important from the sea.
It is true that the sea cleanses itself. No one undertakes to clean the sea because it is beyond our human strength. Yet, we are called to purify this Mediterranean Sea of ours—a sea that continues to tragically claim the lives of hundreds of men, women, and children on its shores, victims of hatred and division.
My simple meditation today is this: Learn from the sea to cleanse and purify ourselves. Grow in love for a renewing sea. Because no one can cleanse the sea alone, we must learn to purify ourselves. Grow in love for a renewing sea. Because no one can cleanse the sea alone, we must learn to purify our own cultures of weapons and hatred.
Perhaps at the end of our journey with the Nadi, we will ask forgiveness from this sea of ours. We too are called, first and foremost, to purify this Mediterranean Sea. Then, to purify its shores so that we may live in true Mediterranean brotherhood.
Dear friends, this ship not only crosses waters, it also builds bridges in our hearts, our cultures, and our communities. Let us sail together toward a future defined by peace, understanding, and love.
Thank you "
Published on July 8, 2025