Catholicos Garegin II Holds High-Level Meetings in Vatican

On September 15 and 16, during an official visit to the Vatican, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, held meetings with the cardinals responsible for a number of Vatican structures.

The Supreme Patriarch met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. During the conversation, among other issues, reference was made to the conflicts unfolding in different parts of the world, as well as the developments in our region. The efforts made by the international community, including sister Churches, were emphasized as important for the restoration of stable and lasting peace. At the meeting, the Supreme Patriarch also specifically raised the issues of protecting the rights of the displaced Artsakh Armenians, the intact preservation of the spiritual-cultural heritage of Artsakh, and the release of prisoners of war and statesmen held in captivity in Azerbaijan.

The Catholicos of All Armenians visited the Holy See's Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, where he had a meeting with the Prefect of the structure, Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti. His Holiness expressed his appreciation to the cardinal for his warm attitude towards the Armenian people and the Armenian Church and for his beneficial services.

During this time, the Supreme Patriarch also met with the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Cardinal José Tolentino, and the Holy See's Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. With the heads of the structures, issues of further expansion of cooperation of the Roman Catholic Church with the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, problems concerning the life of the Armenian people, challenges facing the Christian world, and the imperatives of preserving Christian values and heritage were discussed.

On the evening of September 16, the delegation headed by the Catholicos of All Armenians returned to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.