Pope: Keen satisfaction for good relations with Armenia

"The good relations" between the Vatican and Armenia, State and Church, were reaffirmed today at the inauguration, in the Vatican gardens, of the statue of Saint Gregory of Narek, Doctor of the Church .

Marking the event, Pope Francis received the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan (pictured), and also, in a separate audience, Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians.

After the meeting with the Pope, the President had talks with the cardinal secretary of state, Pietro Parolin, accompanied by the Secretary for Relations with States, Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher.

A Vatican statement informed: “During the cordial discussions, keen satisfaction was expressed for the good relations existing between the Holy See and Armenia. It was shown that the inauguration in the Vatican Gardens of the statute of Saint Gregory of Narek, Doctor of the Church, is an opportunity to promote further these relations, as well as those between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church”.

“Reference was then made to the regional political context, with hope for the solution of situations of conflict, and other current international issues were touched upon, as well as the condition of Christians and religious minorities, especially in theatres of war.".

The bronze statue of Saint Gregory of Narek, considered a bridge between East and West and symbol of ecumenism, was created by the artist David Erevantsi, in two copies: one for the Vatican gardens and the other for the gardens of the See of the Catolicos in Etchmiadzin.