The Associated Press

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of the slaughter of Armenians by calling the massacre by Ottoman Turks “the first genocide of the 20th century” and urging the international community to recognize it as such.

Pope Francis, center, is greeted by the head of Armenia's Orthodox Church Karekin II, right, during an Armenian-Rite Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Sunday, April 12, 2015. Pope Francis on Sunday called the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks "the first genocide of the 20th century" and urged the international community to recognize it as such, sparking a diplomatic rift with Turkey. Turkey, which has long denied a genocide took place, immediately summoned the Vatican ambassador to complain and promised a fuller official response. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Turkey immediately recalled its ambassador and accused Francis of spreading hatred and “unfounded claims.”

Francis issued the pronouncement during a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica commemorating the centenary that was attended by Armenian church leaders and President Serge Sarkisian, who praised the pope for “delivering a powerful message to the international community.”

“The words of the leader of a church with 1 billion followers cannot but have a strong impact,” Sarkisian said.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.

Turkey, however, denies a genocide took place. It has insisted that the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

Francis defended his words by saying it was his duty to honor the memory of the innocent men, women and children who were “senselessly” murdered by Ottoman Turks.

“Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it,” he said.

Francis said similar massacres are underway today against Christians who because of their faith are “publicly and ruthlessly put to death – decapitated, crucified, burned alive – or forced to leave their homeland,” a reference to the Islamic State’s assault against Christians in Iraq and Syria.

Francis called on the world community, heads of state and international organizations to recognize the truth of what transpired to prevent such “horrors” from repeating themselves, and to oppose all such crimes “without ceding to ambiguity or compromise.”

Turkey has fiercely lobbied to prevent countries, including the Holy See, from officially recognizing the Armenian massacre as genocide and reacted strongly to Francis’ declaration.

“The pope’s statement, which is far from historic and legal truths, is unacceptable,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted.

“Religious positions are not places where unfounded claims are made and hatred is stirred,” Cavusoglu said.

The Foreign Ministry summoned the Vatican’s envoy in Ankara, and then announced it was recalling its own ambassador to the Vatican for consultations.

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