Cardinale Gregorio Pietro XV Agagianian
Կարտինալ Գրիգոր Պետրոս ԺԵ Աղաճանեան

Catholicos Patriarch for the Armenian Catholic 1895-1971

His Eminence Gazaros Cardinal Agagianian — who, apart from his mother tongue, Armenian, spoke fluent Russian, Italian, French and English and was more than competent in German, Spanish and Arabic; and, obviously as a scholar, he also had classical Latin and Greek — was Cardinal Priest in the title of San Bartolomeo all’Isola, Patriarch Emeritus of Cilicia of the Armenians (Lebanon) (reigned as Grégoire-Pierre XV, President of the Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Code of Oriental Canon Law (appointed July 2, 1955) and Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (had been pro-Prefect from June 18, 1958 until July 18, 1960, during which time firstly, Pope Pius XII and then, secondly, Pope John XXIII were Prefects, but on the latter date Good Pope John relinquished the prefetorship). After the election of Good Pope John, he had served as Papal legate to the Marian Congress, Saigon, South Vietnam, January 31, 1959; served as Papal legate to the Patrician Congress, Dublin, Ireland, June 15 to 23, 1961, to commemorate the 1500th Anniversary of the death of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland; had both attended the Second Vatican Council, 1962-1965 and served as one of the four member of the Board of Presidency, 1963-1965; had participated in the conclave of 1963, which elected Pope Paul VI, and; served as Papal legate to the 38th International Eucharistic Congress, Bombay, India, November 11, 1964.

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Catholic-Hierarchy - Grégoire-Pierre XV (François) Cardinal Agagianian

Cardinale Gregorio Pietro XV Agagianian
Կարտինալ Գրիգոր Պետրոս ԺԵ Աղաճանեան

Catholicos Patriarch for the Armenian Catholic 1895-1971

From the Armenian Catholic bishops synod in Rome February 2022

Gazaros (secular name of Cardinal Gregory Peter Agagianian) was born on September 18, 1895 in the city of Akhaltsikhe, Georgia. In 1917 he was ordained a priest, receiving the name "Francis". Two years later, he received a certificate in civil and ecclesiastical law. In the same year he returned to the Caucasus and began his service in the Armenian Catholic Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in the city of Tbilisi. In 1921 he was appointed Vice-Rector of the Pontifical College "Levonian" in Rome. In 1937, Father Francis Agagianian was elected Catholicos-Patriarch of all Armenian Catholics and adopted the name "Gregory Peter XV".

In 1946, Pope Pius XII granted him the dignity of cardinal and appointed him chairman of the commission for drafting the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. In 1958 he became prefect of the Holy Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith.

After the death of Pope Pius XII, in the conclave of 1958, Cardinal Agagianian was one of the "papabiles" (candidates for election as Pope) and, as later confirmed by the elected John XXIII, almost gained the necessary number of votes for election.

In 1963, he was again one of the most likely contenders for the papal throne.

In 1962, Agagianian left the post of Catholicos-Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church, remaining only the rector of the Levonian College and at the same time the Prefect of the Congregation for the Dissemination of the Faith. In 1970, Agagianian also resigned as CardinalPrefect of the Holy Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith due to ill health. In the last years of his life, the cardinal organized a meeting of the Catholicos of All Armenians Vasken I with the Pope, Paul VI.

Agagianian has done a great job in strengthening the interfaith unity of the Catholic, Armenian Apostolic and Evangelical Churches.There is evidence that Agagianian did not miss the opportunity to speak on the main and most sensitive Armenian issue - the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He expressed particular outrage when the Turks cynically assessed the Armenian Genocide as a legitimate response to the actions of the Armenian rebels.

Cardinal Agagianian died on May 16, 1971 at the Levonian Seminary after a long illness.

Excerpt from Agagianian spiritual testament:
"Always striving to live as the obedient son of my Mother, the Holy Catholic Church, I want to die, in perfect unity with her visible Head and Vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Pope, to confess what he confesses, with the Mother of God, who is the Mother of mercy, who motherly looked after me and whose intercession I am sure that the Lord has forgiven my sins: with a joyful heart I join her children.

My grateful heart welcomes all my beloved colleagues who have greatly helped me, the monks and faithful of the Armenian Catholic clergy, as well as all the children of my beloved people. Through the intercession of our countless martyrs, I wish all spiritual and temporal blessings, and of course growth in the Christian faith in harmony with the one Church of Christ. These are the feelings with which the soul of my earthly life is filled while I say goodbye to any people who are deeply friendly with me in Christ. I ask them to remember me before the altar of the Lord, so that He will accept me into the heavenly kingdom and grant me happiness of bliss."

Pope Paul VI said this about the deceased:
"I remember his sincerity, his education, his excellent linguistic skills, his vast talent, the peculiarities of his mind and heart, and of course his pastoral virtue, honesty. He was an exemplary servant for us who spared neither time nor fatigue to best serve the Church. History must tell us how grateful Christian Armenia, the Catholic missions, the Holy See and the whole Church are to him."

Armenian Catholic bishops at a synod held in Rome on February 8-14, 2022, blessed the beginning of the process of canonization of Cardinal Agagianian. This includes collecting information about the miracles performed by the candidate for canonization during life and after death, through prayers addressed to him.

The cause of beatification and canonisation of Patriarch Card Gregory Peter XV Agagianian opened on 28 October 2022 in Rome. Card De Donatis Vicar General of the Holy Father led the Mass at the Lateran basilica in the presence of Catholicos Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian and the Armenian Synodal Bishops.

Video

Part 1 - 19.10.14
Ջավախք. լեռնեցիների օրրան - Կարդինալ Աղաջանյան 1

Part 2 - 26.10.14
Ջավախք. լեռնեցիների օրրան - Կարդինալ Աղաջանյան մաս 2


Documentario su Card. Gregorio Pietro Aghagianian:
Prima parte - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NPTAoXUcvc
Seconda parte - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUo-VzohQ9w

Cardinale Gregorio Pietro XV Agagianian Կարտինալ Գրիգոր Պետրոս ԺԵ Աղաճանեան Catholic Church -
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