Category: News

Armenian leader, EU envoy discuss Karabakh
Mediamax news agency
1 Jul 04
YEREVAN
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan received the special representative
of the EU for the South Caucasus, Heikki Talvitie, in Yerevan today.
The presidential press service has quoted Kocharyan as saying that Talvitie’s
frequent visits to the region testify to the EU’s growing interest in the
South Caucasus, including Armenia.
Talvitie informed the Armenian president of his visit to Nagornyy Karabakh.
Kocharyan and Talvitie agreed that an atmosphere of trust should be created
between the parties to the Karabakh conflict.

Armenian leader says domestic crisis is over
Arminfo
30 Jun 04
YEREVAN
The question of the aggravation of the political situation in Armenia
can be regarded as closed, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan told
reporters in Vanadzor today, commenting on the estimates of some
opposition leaders about his speech at the session of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [PACE].
[Passage omitted: reported details of Kocharyan’s PACE speech]

Armenian foreign minister believes Turkey wants better ties – Turkish TV
NTV television, Istanbul
1 Jul 04

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskankyan has said that in the brief
meeting he had with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the
NATO summit, he was convinced that Turkey wants to improve the
relations between the two countries. Commenting on the 10-minute
meeting he held with Erdogan, Oskanyan said: I believe that the
Turkish government sincerely wants a change towards the amelioration
of the relations with Armenia.
Oskanyan remarked that the issue of reinstating the rail transport
between Turkey and Armenia was discussed with Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul. On the subject of the Nagornyy Karabakh issue between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, Oskanyan said: Armenia will not accept
Turkey’s acting as an impartial mediator.
Oskanyan reported that with US officials, he discussed the intention
to veto the proposal to appoint Turkey as the term president of the
OSCE in 2007. The Armenian foreign minister expressed the belief that
the position of OSCE term president should be filled by a country that
has diplomatic relations with all member countries.

El Pais
July 1, 2004
Comunidad Valenciana edition
Les senderes valencianes del jubileu Petjades de pedra cap a les vies
compostellanes
Juga a favor d’aquesta hipotesi un testimoni magnific i ben
suggeridor, que conservem documentat a l’inventari parroquial de
defuncions i que considere oportu d’exhumar ara que som al cor del
jubileu compostel.la del 2004. En efecte, fa prop de quatre-cents
cinquanta anys (exactament l’episodi va esdevenir-se a l’octubre del
1556), a l’hospital de Benlloc moria un home vell, natural d’Armenia,
que regressava d’haver peregrinat a Compostel.la. Com que ningu del
veinat no podia “entendre sa llengua, no rebe los sants sagraments”,
tal com te cura d’anotar el dietarista de l’epoca. Aixi doncs, les
dades identificatives d’armeni i de romeu li van ser descobertes
gracies a la credencial compostel.lana que portava damunt.
No em negareu que el cas constitueix una bella mostra d’enigma que
tot seguit desperta la curiositat. Que feia un armeni, procedent de
Galicia, per aquestes latituds? S’hi trobava perdut? Deambulava
absolutament errant? Potser es dirigia a Valencia, a la recerca
d’algun vaixell que el retornara al seu pais. De tota manera, no hem
de perdre de vista que aleshores transcorria una etapa especialment
atzarosa per totes les latituds de la Mediterrania, per tal com aixo
s’esdevenia en vespres de les preses de Nicosia i Venecia pels turcs
i a cinc anys escassos de la batalla de Lepant.
El pelegri armeni que va trobar el descans definitiu a Benlloc devia
ser originari de la Petita Armenia, l’estat cristia de la costa
sud-est de l’Asia Menor que a l’edat mitjana havia mantingut
relacions comercials amb la corona catalanoaragonesa. Potser era un
armeni de la diaspora, marcat per l’estigma d’emigrant cronic que
pesava damunt la generalitat del seu poble, segles abans de la
globalitzacio. Siga com siga, els romeus com ell devien fer
pelegrinatges incerts i penosos, al limit de les precarietats mes
estrictes. Del nostre heroi, per exemple, ens consta que la suma dels
recursos economics de que disposava quan va arribar a Benlloc es
reduia a “uns quants reals”, que no van cobrir mes enlla de les
despeses que generaven aleshores un parell de misses, dites per la
seua anima, que reposa en pau entre els avantpassats belloquins.
Abans de morir, el nostre romeu degue passar per l’ermita de
l’Adjutori. Encara mes, m’arriscaria a conjecturar que l’Adjutori
degue constituir el reclam que va fer-lo desviar-se fins a Benlloc.
En aquest sentit, disposem d’un element forca suggeridor, la vieira
esculpida en un bloc de pedra que ha anat a raure a un mur lateral de
l’ermita. Es clar que aquesta escultura preciosa, que representa el
simbol per antonomasia del pelegrinatge compostel.la, suscita tot
d’una interrogants com els segueents i molts altres: pertanyia aquest
carreu venerable a la primitiva esglesia de l’Adjutori? Hi tenia un
pes rellevant la devocio a sant Jaume? Potser l’ermita havia
esdevingut fita d’alguna ruta de pelegrinatge?
Ben mirat, Benlloc quedava a la vora de la Via Augusta i tambe del
cami ral, dos eixos viaris que estaven ben connectats amb la xarxa
principal de camins que portaven directe a la tomba de l’apostol. Be
podia haver estat, doncs, una fita -modesta i marginal, si voleu-
dins l’entramat de camins compostel.lans que solcaven la vasta
geografia europea.

Armenian minister in favour of improving ties with Turkey
Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
1 Jul 04
Text of Anna Akopyan report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak on
1 July headlined “The attitude was normal”
An interview with [Armenian] Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan.
[Haykakan Zhamanak correspondent] Mr Oskanyan, although you assessed
the meeting with the Turkish and Azerbaijani foreign ministers
positively, you said that the meeting did not yield any tangible
results. Nevertheless, Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan said that they
view the meeting as an opportunity to get the frozen processes in the
South Caucasus out of deadlock.
[Vardan Oskanyan] Maybe they had such a purpose, but the fact is that
there was no progress as a result of the trilateral meeting. Erdogan
did not say that there was progress, but he thinks that the meeting
might lead to progress. This trilateral meeting was not only
connected with the Karabakh issue, it was much more expanded.
[Correspondent] The resolution by NATO member countries says that NATO
highly appreciates Georgia and Azerbaijan’s rapprochement with NATO
and the fact that they have individual action programmes. There is no
word about Armenia in the resolution. In this sense, how do you assess
Armenia’s further potential in developing relations with NATO?
[Oskanyan] This is the next step of cooperation with NATO, which
Azerbaijan and Georgia have already taken and want to establish. We
are discussing that issue and will inform NATO after taking a
decision.
[Correspondent] After your meeting with Turkey’s Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul, you said that although Turkey has a great desire to
improve its relations with Armenia, the political moment is not ripe
for them yet. Is that moment ripe for Armenia?
[Oskanyan] I said it is not ripe in Turkey because they cannot show
political will. In response to the objections of some circles, I can
say that Armenia wants and is ready to regulate its relations with
Turkey without pre-conditions.
[Correspondent] Recently [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan told
Turkey from a high rostrum that they are wrong if they think that we
cannot live and develop without them. Today from another high rostrum
you said that Turkey plays a big role in the Caucasus, including in
Armenia. Was this sector of your speech directed at softening the
impression made by Kocharyan’s speech?
[Oskanyan] No, it was not. In fact, today we do not depend on Turkey,
our economy is really developing. Even if Turkey decides to perpetuate
this situation forever, I think we shall continue to develop at quite
a quick pace. So for Armenia the improvement of relations with Turkey
is not a problem of life and death. Simply, we do not see any reason
not to have normal relations with our neighbours. As for Azerbaijan,
everything is clear here – there is the Karabakh conflict and it
should be settled, then we can start improving relations. As for
Turkey, in a bilateral sense, there is no obstacle that does not allow
us to have normal relations. That is, on the one hand, if Turkey
continues this way, this will not create a deadly situation for
Armenia, and on the other, it is always desirable to have friendly
relations with neighbours, which will certainly open wider
opportunities for economic development. But it should be stressed that
Turkey also needs to open the border and improve relations in the
economic and political sense, especially in terms of being present in
the Caucasus, because Turkey has such a desire and wants to play such
a role in the region. But it cannot do so only because it cannot
establish normal relations with Armenia, so this is a bilateral way.
[Correspondent] Mr Oskanyan, do you not think that after Robert
Kocharyan’s speech in Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
[PACE], Turkey demonstrated a pronounced attitude towards our
delegation and you as its head? You seemed to be displeased while
boarding the airplane.
[Oskanyan] It was a very normal attitude, and my meetings with the
Turkish authorities, mainly with the foreign minister, were very
warm. I also had an opportunity to have a very warm conversation with
Turkey’s prime minister. Their attitude towards Armenia was warmer
than necessary.

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
30 juin 2004
Championnat d’Europe de racer au pylône ;
La base de loisirs de Payré va accueillir du samedi 3 au dimanche 11
juillet, une soixantaine de compétiteurs pour la treizième finale du
championnat d’Europe et le trophée de l’Arc Atlantique.
Le racer au pylône est une discipline très spectaculaire des modèles
réduits de bateaux. Le prototype est animé par un moteur à explosion
deux temps qui est alimenté par un carburant à base d’alcool
méthylique et d’huile de ricin.
Lors de son apparition aux Etats Unis, les courses se disputaient en
ligne droite. Les moteurs devenant de plus en plus performants, ce
genre d’exercice devenait dangereux. On a eu alors l’idée de relier
le racer par un cble à un pylône, d’où le nom de ces compétitions.
Le racer au pylône a été importé en France en 1935 et a connu le
succès parce que cette forme de modélisme est économique, puisqu’il
n’y a pas de radio commande ni d’appareillage compliqué, que l’engin
est sobre en carburant et qu’un bassin de 40 x 40 m est suffisant
pour pratiquer.
Le modèle tourne sur un circuit d’un peu plus de quinze mètres de
rayon et sa vitesse est chronométrée sur cinq cents mètres, soit cinq
tours, dès l’instant où le concurrent estime que son engin a atteint
sa vitesse maximum, les vitesses réelles peuvent atteindre les 280
km/h. Les compétiteurs sont classés par catégories selon la vitesse
et en deux spécialités : hélice marine, et hélice aérienne.
Les Iles-de-Payré sont habituées à accueillir des compétitions de
haut niveau. Le premier rendez-vous européen avait réuni en 1997
seulement trois nations : le Royaume-Uni, l’Arménie et la France.
Cette année, le club organisateur, le Modèle circulaire marin France
va accueillir une soixantaine de passionnés représentants seize
nations. Il y aura là plusieurs détenteurs de différents titres
européens et mondiaux, qu’ils soient Arméniens, Ukrainiens, Bulgares,
Russes ou encore Anglais ou Italiens. Cette semaine servira également
au club de répétition en vue de la réception en 2005 des championnats
du monde.
Parmi les favoris, on peut citer l’Arménien Hratchia Shahazizian,
ingénieur à la Cité des Etoiles de Moscou, recordman du monde, les
Russes Vadislav Subbotin et Alexander Ivanin ou le Bulgare Jivko
Tcatcankov, champion de monde 2003.
Jim Free, champion d’Angleterre, Giovanni-Baptista Frare, ancien
champion d’Italie seront présents et la France comptera sur Pierre
Barbotin, 3e des championnats du monde 2001 et recordman de France
avec 242 km/h, et les juniors Etienne Blaud, champion de France 2003
et Julien Kantardjian, recordman de France (212 km/h).
Chez les féminines on suivra avec intérêt le duel entre la Bulgare
Diana Ubinova, championne du monde 2003 et l’Arménienne Gayane
Shahazizian, trois fois championne du monde juniors.
Le programme
– Samedi 3 et dimanche 4 juillet : de 14 heures à 19 heures, accueil,
enregistrement et entraînements.
– Lundi 5, de 10 heures à 20 heures, et mardi 6 juillet, de 9 heures
à 20 heures, manches de compétition.
– Mercredi 7 juillet : repos.
– Jeudi 8 et vendredi 9 juillet, de 9 heures à 20 heures, suite des
manches.
– Samedi 10 juillet, à 10 heures, remise des prix.
GRAPHIQUE: Image: Hratchia Shahazizian, champion du monde toutes
catégories et recordman du monde.

Egoyan heads to 1970s Los Angeles in Somebody Loves You
Screendaily
by Denis Seguin in Toronto
June 17, 2004
Canadian auteur Atom Egoyan is preparing his tenth feature, entitled
Somebody Loves You, with long-time collaborator Robert Lantos of Serendipity
Point Films producing.
The Academy Award-nominated Egoyan wrote the screenplay based on the novel
Where The Truth Lies by Broadway wunderkind Rupert Holmes. Sandra
Cunningham, a co-producer on Egoyan’s Ararat, will perform a similar role.
Principal photography is slated to commence in August in Toronto.
Serendipity would not confirm casting.
Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the story follows a young celebrity journalist as
she tracks the secrets of a showbiz duo who were driven apart by a bizarre
death in which one of them may have played the part of murderer. The deeper
she digs the more she finds herself involved with both men and perhaps
risking more than she bargained for.
It’s the third adaptation of a novel for Egoyan, after 1997’s The Sweet
Hereafter and 1999’s Felicia’s Journey. Egoyan acquired the rights to Where
The Truth Lies in early 2003, well before its publication date last autumn.
It was recently released in paperback in North America.
Where The Truth Lies is the first novel by Holmes, whose Broadway musical
The Mystery of Edwin Drood won Tony Awards for Best Book, Best Music and
Best Lyrics, making him the first person to ever win all three prizes
solely.
Produced by Serendipity Point Films and Ego Film Arts, the project is backed
by Telefilm Canada. Other backers will likely include The Harold Greenberg
Fund, Super Ecran and The Movie Network.

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
June 29, 2004
Contact at HFH Armenia:
Zara Tonapetyan
Aygestan 8-th str, h 5,
Yerevan-070, Armenia
Tel: (374 1) 556-114
e-mail: [email protected]
The UK Ambassador to Armenia Ms. Thorda Abott-Watt and other Armenian
and Armenian resident female officials joined Habitat for Humanity Armenia
Yerevan, Armenia – June29, 2004 – UK Ambassador to Armenia, Ms. Thorda
Abbott-Watt, the president of the Diplomatic Spouse Association Mrs. Nani
Oskanian, The Armenian Assembly of America’s Acting Executive Director Arpi
Vartanian, the deputy minister of Culture and Youth affairs Lilit Asatryan.
Armenia Legislative Strengthening Program Director Eleanor Valentine,
representative of ministry of Urban Development Sona Matevosyan and other
Armenian and Armenian resident women-officials have joined Habitat for
Humanity Armenia local and International volunteers to build a home in
partnership with a disadvantaged family in the village of Voskehat,
Aragatsotn region on June 29, 2004 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This time Habitat for Humanity Armenia was hosting a Global Village team,
consisting only of women. These teams are called Women Build teams. The
mission of the Women Build department of Habitat for Humanity International
is to work through affiliates to nurture, recruit and train women to build
simple, decent, healthy and affordable houses. Women Build brings together
women from all walks of life to actively address the problem of children in
poverty by building Habitat for Humanity houses. Safe, decent housing is
critical to a child’s health and development, yet children are the single
largest age group living in poverty. The Women Build program is expanding
internationally with women crews building houses all over the world.
The Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Armenia, Ms. Thorda Abbott-Watt and
other female high ranking officials joined the Women Build team to help
build for the family of Tonoyan’s. With this volunteer effort they hope to
demonstrate their good will and commitment to the development of Armenia,
and serve as an example to others in the community encouraging them to join
HFH Armenia in its work eliminating sub-standard housing in Armenia and
throughout the world.

The event is aimed to encourage the involvement of woman in the construction
of Habitat homes. The need for the adequate shelter is great in Armenia,
but it can be met. Women can be a part of the solution – one house, one
family at a time. Women Build challenges and empowers women to build safe,
healthy housing where children can flourish and grow to be all that they can
be.
Habitat for Humanity Armenia is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity
International and supports community development in the Republic of Armenia
by assisting in the construction and renovation of simple, decent and
affordable homes. The purpose of the organization is to help families in
need improve their living conditions, to raise funds to support the vital
work, and to give hope to thousands of people across the country. The
organization was formed in March of 2000 and, to date, has dedicated 82
homes and given shelter to 473 people.
Sub-standard housing is all too common in Armenia. Many families live in
deteriorated housing, in cramped quarters with inadequate water and heat.
HFH Armenia’s selected target group is families living in substandard,
over-crowded and unacceptable living quarters. This group comprises more
than 50-60% of the country’s current population. These families are unable
to purchase their own homes, as they do not have sufficient income to save
to pay for the entire house cost up front, nor can they risk, or would they
be eligible for, a high-interest loan from a commercial lender.
Habitat for Humanity Armenia has found a way to solve the problem. Families,
with two or three wage earners, pay back a no-interest loan for a simple,
decent, affordable, and healthy home, and are still able to feed their
families. Habitat for Humanity Armenia is using a combination of two
approaches to help Habitat families solve their housing problems:
1) Completing half-built homes, which are numerous
in Armenia. This approach enables families to fulfill their dream of
completing their own home. Utilizing existing core structure reduces costs
and prevents the disruption of relocating.
2) Purchasing apartments to make use of Armenia’s
existing under-utilized housing stock. Purchased homes are resold at
no-profit, interest-free, to Habitat families who renovate their apartments
and help in the construction of other families’ homes.
For more information please email Zara Tonapetyan, Communication Coordinator
for Habitat for Humanity Armenia [email protected]. See also
.
Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International is a non-denominational
Christian, non-governmental, non-profit housing organization that has helped
more than 700,000 people of all races, religions and backgrounds to have a
simple, decent and affordable place to live. Habitat for Humanity has built
or renovated more than 150,000 homes throughout the world, becoming a global
leader in addressing poverty housing. Habitat for Humanity is active in 100
countries worldwide, including 19 in Europe and Central Asia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Cihan News, Turkey
June 30 2004
Turkey: NATO Gain New Vision In Istanbul Summit

ISTANBUL (CIHAN) – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
on Tuesday NATO has gained new perspective and acceleration with the
Istanbul summit.
Erdogan recalled that Turkey first time successively hosted an NATO
summit in its 52-year old NATO membership.
The leaders of 26 member countries of NATO, its 20 partner countries
and two observer countries came togeter in Istanbul summit during
2-day summit.
Turkish Prime Minister asked forbiddance from the Turkish people who
faced hard time during the summit due to the massive security
measures. “Sure, there were certain difficulties but Turkey has
gained great prestige.” He said that he is not talking about the
organizational success but the hosting important NATO summit that is
on the verge of turning point in function of the NATO.
Stating that Islam culture and democracy culture, the tradition and
modernity, the history and future had met in Istanbul, Erdogan said
that Istanbul Summit witnessed the transformation process of NATO.
Erdogan said that the Istanbul Cooperation initiative which aims to
harmonized cooperation and consultation with the region countries, as
it was foreseen by the G-8 meeting and US-EU summit, has been put
into affect with Istanbul summit.
“NATO has gained new acceleration and perspective with the decision
taken in the Istanbul summit. The transformation of the NATO based on
the new capabilities, new partnerships and new operations areas.”
Turkish Prime Minister said that NATO first time issued an new vision
declaration since the London Summit in 1990.
Meeting in Istanbul on 28 and 29 June, NATO Heads of State and
Government expanded the Alliance`s presence in Afghanistan, agreed to
assist Iraq with training, launched a new partnership initiative and
adopted measures to improve NATO`s operational capabilities.
Erdogan said that the meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai was
historic. “The decision taken was sign of new era beginning. The
allies reached an consensus on Iraq. ”
Referring to the relations between Turkey and Armenia, Erdogan hoped
that the three party meeting between Armenia-Azerbaijan -Turkey would
bring beneficial outcomes in future.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül met with the Azerbaijan Foreign
Minister, Elmar Mamadyarov and the Armenian Foreign Minister, Vardan
Oskaryan within the framework of NATO Summit in Istanbul yesterday.
Gül made a statement after 45-minute talk and he said that the peace
and stability issue in Caucasians drawed attention of the
international community. “EU and NATO is creating a new strategy for
the Southern Caucasian and also a new strategic vision must be
developed.”
The Turkish Prime Minister said that the meeting showed the tolerance
between countries. Erdoðan said that win-win policy should be adopted
to reach a successful results.
Regarding the Turkish hostages in Iraq, Erdogan added that the main
reason of the terrorism is poverty. He said that he could not
understand why militants take the civilian people as hostages in
Iraq. “It is incomprehensible why they kidnap people.”
Three Turkish hostages, who were abducted last week in Iraq, were
released on Tuesday, Qatar based Al Jazeere satellite channel
reported on Tuesday.
Turkish workers who were working at a Turkish air-conditioner
company, were abducted by the militants of the Jama`at al-Tawhid and
Jihad which is linked with Abu Musab Al Zarkavi.
The captors had threatened to behead the Turkish hostages unless
Turkish construction firms operating in Iraq leave the country within
72 hours. The deadline for the hostages had expired today.

Zenit News Agency, Italy
June 30 2004
Why Water With Wine
And More on “And Also With You”
ROME, JUNE 29, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara,
professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.
Q: I would want to know the reason why the priest pours water into
wine during the preparation of the gifts. — J.B., Bo, Sierra Leone
A: The brief rite of pouring water into the wine used for
consecration is very ancient. Indeed, it is believed that Our Lord
himself used wine tempered with water at the Last Supper as this was
the common practice among the Jews and in Mediterranean culture in
general.
Some form of this is found in practically every rite of the Church
both Western and Eastern, except for a group of Armenian
Monophysites.
Although the water is not essential for the validity of the
sacrament, the Church holds it in great importance and it must never
be omitted. The Council of Trent even went so far as to excommunicate
whoever denied the need for this mixture (see Canon 9, Session XXII).
Historically, St. Justin Martyr already mentions this practice in his
Apology around the year 150. About a century later St. Cyprian wrote
on this theme in an epistle against a splinter group that used only
water in their celebrations, and this has become the accepted
interpretation:
“For because Christ bore us all, in that He also bore our sins, we
see that in the water is understood the people, but in the wine is
showed the blood of Christ. But when the water is mingled in the cup
with wine, the people [are] made one with Christ, and the assembly of
believers is associated and conjoined with Him on whom it believes;
which association and conjunction of water and wine is so mingled in
the Lord’s cup, that that mixture cannot any more be separated.
“Whence, moreover, nothing can separate the Church — that is, the
people established in the Church, faithfully and firmly persevering
in that which they have believed — from Christ, in such a way as to
prevent their undivided love from always abiding and adhering. Thus,
therefore, in consecrating the cup of the Lord, water alone cannot be
offered, even as wine alone cannot be offered. For if any one offer
wine only, the blood of Christ is dissociated from us; but if the
water be alone, the people are dissociated from Christ; but when both
are mingled, and are joined with one another by a close union, there
is completed a spiritual and heavenly sacrament.
“Thus the cup of the Lord is not indeed water alone, nor wine alone,
unless each be mingled with the other; just as, on the other hand,
the body of the Lord cannot be flour alone or water alone, unless
both should be united and joined together and compacted in the mass
of one bread; in which very sacrament our people are shown to be made
one, so that in like manner as many grains, collected, and ground,
and mixed together into one mass, make one bread; so in Christ, who
is the heavenly bread, we may know that there is one body, with which
our number is joined and united” (“On the Sacrament of the Cup of the
Lord,” No 13).
Another important symbolic explanation for this rite is given in St.
Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologiae, III pars q 74, 6-8:
“Water ought to be mingled with the wine which is offered in this
sacrament.
“First of all, on account of its institution: for it is believed with
probability that our Lord instituted this sacrament in wine tempered
with water according to the custom of that country: hence it is
written (Proverbs 9:5): ‘Drink the wine which I have mixed for you.’
“Secondly, because it harmonizes with the representation of our
Lord’s Passion: hence Pope Alexander I says (Ep. 1 ad omnes orth.):
‘In the Lord’s chalice neither wine only nor water only ought to be
offered, but both mixed because we read that both flowed from His
side in the Passion.’
“Thirdly, because this is adapted for signifying the effect of this
sacrament, since as Pope Julius says (Concil. Bracarens iii, Can. 1):
‘We see that the people are signified by the water, but Christ’s
blood by the wine. Therefore when water is mixed with the wine in the
chalice, the people [are] made one with Christ.’
“Fourthly, because this is appropriate to the fourth effect of this
sacrament, which is the entering into everlasting life: hence Ambrose
says (De Sacram. v): ‘The water flows into the chalice, and springs
forth unto everlasting life.'”
These different explanations form the basis for the Church’s
understanding of the importance of this rite. This understanding is
at the root of the sentiment expressed by the prayer which the priest
recites in a low voice as he pours the water into the chalice:
“By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the
divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.”