YEREVAN, JANUARY 10, ARMENPRESS. Valentina Karakhanian who is one of two researchers from the Vatican Secret Archives has gathered a chronological account of how the apostolic delegate of the then Pope Benedict XV gradually became aware of the tragedy that was being perpetrated and tried to stop it. “Armenpress” reports the researcher told Rome Reports that one of the key actors of the pending book is the Pope's representative, Cardinal Angelo Maria Dolci who during the years of the Armenian Genocide tried to mobilize the diplomatic corps in Constantinople, denounce what happened and reach the Sultan, without much success.

"We have tried to organize the documents so that they themselves account for the massacre of Armenians. The protagonists include Armenians, bishops, nuncios, and ambassadors who lived or witnessed the first genocide of the 20th century”, says Valentina Karakhanian. She notes that The Vatican did its best because the Nuncio went to meet with people who were outside the diplomatic sphere. “The apostolic delegate had no right to go to those offices. But he went and showed the delegation's private documents, because to get to the Sultan it was necessary to show the pope's signature. He met with ministers, with the Grand Vizier, and with the Sultan. He spoke on behalf of the pope and the Holy See, because he was certain that Pope Benedict XV wanted to help and save these people”, she mentioned.

The documents of Vatican’s confidential archives provide materials on how Christians expelled from their homes were exterminated.

"In some regions they have been massacred, others deported to unknown places, left to die along the way. There are mothers who have even sold their own children to save them from death”, says Valentina Karakhanian. She noted that the apostolic delegate understood that the persecution was not specifically against the Armenians, but against the Christians in general living in that territory.