The Pope just condemned Turkey and Azerbaijan’s bombing of an Armenian cathedral. Many believe he has a moral obligation—and the legal authority—to do more.

Since September 27, 2020, Turkey and Azerbaijan have led a full-scale war against the Christian Armenian population of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). Religious leaders and human rights activists have issued urgent alerts that Turkey and Azerbaijan are intent on ethnic cleansing and have already committed grave war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the Christian Armenians of Artsakh.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have brought hundreds of terrorist mercenaries affiliated with ISIS and other jihadist groups from northern Syria to annihilate the Christian Armenians of Artsakh in a self-proclaimed holy war. Verified reports of Turkey’s active payments to and transporting of Islamic militants to Azerbaijan was universally condemned by the governments of the United States,​ France​, Russia​, Canada​, Uruguay, and others, as well as organizations like the Organization of American States. Turkey and Azerbaijan ignore all condemnation; they are intent to finish the Armenian Genocide once and for all. 

On October 8, 2020, Turkey and Azerbaijan intentionally targeted and destroyed the historic Ghazanchetsots (“Holy Savior”) Cathedral in Artsakh using remotely-controlled precision-drones. The Azerbaijani President admitted to the BBC that he targeted the church because Christians “were praying there”. Women and children seeking shelter in the Cathedral perished. International journalists surveying damage from the initial strike were severely wounded by a second precision-strike.

On October 10, 2020, just hours after signing a humanitarian ceasefire in Moscow, Azerbaijan resumed directly shelling the civilian population of Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh. The International Red Cross has been unable to operate; there is unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe; calls for jihad against the Christian Armenians only intensifies on social media. Turkey’s Islamist expansionism knows neither humanity nor mercy.

We call upon the Holy See to help. The Vatican has the power to stand against barbarism and inhumanity. It has a moral obligation to do so and, in fact, the legal power to do it.Vatican City is a state under international law. Accordingly, it has the ability to recognize the independence and sovereignty of other states.

A single statement of official recognition of the Republic of Artsakh by the Vatican will show Turkey and Azerbaijan that the slaughter of Christians will not be without consequence. It may also compel the international community to follow the Vatican’s leadership and prevent what otherwise may be the second genocide of the Armenian people.