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Catholicos Of All Armenians Concludes His Visit To Vatican

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  • Catholicos Of All Armenians Concludes His Visit To Vatican

    CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS CONCLUDES HIS VISIT TO VATICAN

    Noyan Tapan
    http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=113327
    Ma y 13, 2008

    VENICE, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
    Armenians Karekin II on May 13 concluded his 4-day visit to the head
    of the Roman Catholic Church Benedict XVI and returned to the Mother
    See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

    During the visit, on the morning of May 7 Karekin II went to the tomb
    of Pope John Paul II and prayed for the peace of his soul. Then His
    Holiness went to St. Gregory the Illuminator Square in St. Peter's
    yard where a statue of St. Gregory the Illuminator was set up in the
    days of Pope John Paul II.

    Then a meeting presided by Pope Benedict XVI and Catholicos of All
    Armenians Karekin II took place in St. Peter's Square. They addressed
    their words of welcome to more than 35 thousand faithful who had
    gathered in the square.

    On the same day Catholicos of All Armenians went to the Pontifical
    Salesian University where he delivered a lecture. His Holiness received
    a doctorate in recognition of his activities in the "theology of
    youth pastoral care".

    The ceremony was attended by the Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal
    Tarcisio Bertone and the head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting
    Christian Unity Cardinal Walter Kasper.

    On May 8 Karekin II accompanied by the prefect of the Vatican's
    Congregation of Eastern Churches Cardinal Leonardo Sandri went to the
    Pontifical Oriental Institute and conveyed his blessing and greetings
    to the participants of the congress on "holy sacrifice in the Armenian
    tradition". Armenian and Catholic scientists from Europe and North
    America made speeches at the congress organized by efforts of Father
    Robert Tafti.

    Early on May 9, the Armenian delegation went to the Vatican Apostolic
    Palace to participate in the meeting of Catholicos of All Armenians
    Karekin II and Pope Benedict XVI. During the meeting, the two leaders
    spoke about close links and cooperation between the Armenian Apostolic
    Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Then the two church leaders
    presided over a short prayer.

    At the end of the meeting, Karekin II and Benedict XVI had a private
    talk to discuss a number of problems of importance to both churches.

    At noon of the same day, Catholicos of All Armenians met with the
    Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams in the Vatican's hotel. During
    the meeting, Supreme Patriarch and the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke
    about the upcoming Lambeth conference of the Anglican Church and the
    relations between the sister churches.

    At the conclusion of the visit, a ceremony of ecumenical prayer took
    place at the tomb of Apostle Paul. Bishops and clergymen of the Roman
    Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church took part in the
    prayer presided over by Catholicos of All Armenians.

    Accordng to the infomation service of the Mother See of Holy
    Etchmiadzin, during the official visit, Karekin II and the Armenian
    delegation visited Armenian and Catholic churches and sacred places.

    Early May 10 Catholicos of All Armenians accompanied by high-ranking
    clergymen left for Milan where His Holiness met with the Armenian
    community.

    On May 11-12 Catholicos of All Armenians was in Venice, in the island
    of San Lazzaro where a meeting with the Mechitarist Congregation
    was held.
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