Yerevan inaugurates cross-stone dedicated to Pope John Paul II, Armenia-Poland friendship

YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan inaugurated a cross-stone dedicated to the age-old Armenian-Polish friendship and to the late Pope John Paul II.

The cross-stone (khachkar) was inaugurated and consecrated in the Cross-stone Park on Buzand Street.

The opening of the cross-stone marks the 20th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s visit to Armenia on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of adoption of Christianity as state religion.

Pope John Paul II (18 May 1920– 2 April 2005), bornKarol Józef Wojtyłain Poland, was the first non-Italian pope sinceAdrian VIin the 16th century. He was head of theCatholic Churchfrom 1978 untilhis death in 2005.

High Commissioner for Diaspora Zareh Sinanyan delivered remarks at the ceremony, noting that the cross-stone symbolizes and reaffirms the centuries-old friendship between the Armenian and Polish peoples.

“The Armenian-Polish relations have a rich history, Armenians have been living in Poland for over six centuries and they were able to thrive and create a rich culture thanks to the kind attitude of the Polish people and government, and at the same time to contribute to the enrichment of Poland’s state, socio-economic and cultural life in various areas, which has been appreciated by the Polish people and government,” Sinanyan said.

Sinanyan added that the Polish community in Armenia, albeit small in numbers, is active and has a significant role in the public life of the country and serves as a unique bridge between the friendly peoples and countries.

JanDziedziczak, Secretary of State, Poland’s Government Plenipotentiary for Polonia and Poles Abroad was also in attendance. He said he’s happy to be in a place where Christianity has thrived.

“I am happy to be in a place where over 1700 years ago Christianity was adopted as a state religion for the first time. A place where over 20 years ago Pope John Paul II conducted a pilgrimage to Armenia on the occasion of the adoption of Christianity. Back then, he joined Armenians with prayers for the Christians killed during the genocide,” he said.

He described the cross-stone as a symbol of the connection between the faiths of Armenians and Poles.

The cross-stone was opened through joint efforts by Hrachya Boyajyan, the Honorary Consul of Armenia to Poland and Chairman of the Armenian-Polish Public Committee, and Andrzej Sosnowski, the Director of the Department of Religion and National and Ethnic Minorities, sponsored by the Prime Minister of Poland and the Armenian-Polish Public Committee.