FOR THE DEFINITION OF THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPE
(during Vatican I)
In our Armenian Church there never has arisen a
doubt concerning the irreformability of the judgments which are pronounced by
the Roman Pontiff as supreme Teacher and Doctor of the Catholic Church on
matters of Faith and Morals; as very many ancient testimonies of our Fathers
and historic documents of our Church clearly show, and as the Sacred and
Orthodox Bishops of the same Church have ever proved in their teaching up to
this present day. But since we have heard that certain persons call the
infallibility in question, we, fearing the great evils which might arise from
this new doctrine to the Universal Church, but especially to the Orientals,
since it has never been doubted that the above-mentioned irreformability most
closely and inseparably adheres to the Supreme Primacy of the Roman Pontiff, we
think it necessary that the same be declared definitely by the Ecumenical
Council, and therefore we petition that the matter be treated in the Council as
early as possible.
--Signed by the Patriarch and 11 Armenian
Bishops
