YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and Pope Francis took place in the evening of June 24 in Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin. The delegation of the Catholic Church, Bishops of the Armenian Church and Diocesan leaders from Armenia and the Diaspora were present at the meeting.

Catholicos Garegin II welcomed Pope Francis to the Biblical country of Armenia and Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin, and conveyed his fraternal love and best wishes to the members of the delegation.

“There is joy in our homes and in our souls today, as our beloved brother has visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin, and as the Armenian nation has a special warm affection for him. The clear evidence of this is the presence of the high-ranking priests from our dioceses from around the world, who have travelled here together with the faithful of their communities. Our people consider your visit as an opportunity and chance to express their feelings of gratitude for your caring attitude towards our people, the Armenian Church and Nation. In this sacred sanctuary we offer our prayer to heaven, asking Lord to grant you long healthy years to guide the Roman Catholic Church, and implement the mission of Christ’s Church together with the Spiritual Primates of the Sister Churches and the faithful, for the sake of a more peaceful and better world and the happier life of mankind”, Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Garegin II said.

Pope Francis expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Garegin II for the warm reception and fraternal love, stressing that in Holy Etchmiadzin he feels at home. Emphasizing the importance of united prayer and peace in the remarks of His Holiness, Pope Francis added that as Churches they are called to be the preachers of peace.

At the end of the meeting, a mutual presentation of the delegations of the two churches and an exchange of gifts was held.

On the occasion of the visit, the Catholicos of All Armenians presented a Liturgical Chalice to Pope Francis, on which the St. Peter Basillica of the Vatican and the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin were engraved on the sides of the cup, as well as the holy apostles of the two churches. His Holiness also presented an icon of the Holy Martyr’s of the Armenian Genocide and a miniature sculpture of the Pope. In turn, the Pope gifted to His Holiness a mosaic of the Holy Mother of God.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Pope Francis left a message in the Pontifical Memory Book.

Following the meeting a private meeting between the two Pontiffs was held.