Prime Minister Pashinyan, Catholicos Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian hold meeting in Rome
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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, during his visit to the Holy See, met with Catholicos-Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholics, His Beatitude Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian. The meeting took place at the Pontifical Armenian College (Pontificio Collegio Armeno), affiliated with the Saint Nicholas Armenian Catholic Church in Rome (San Nicola da Tolentino agli Orti Sallustiani). The Prime Minister also met with the seminarians of the Pontifical Armenian College.
During the meeting, a question-and-answer session was held, focusing on Armenia’s domestic and foreign policy, existing challenges, the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, regional developments, and the measures being taken to address current issues, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
“The parties also exchanged views on efforts to promote and preserve Christian values, as well as on other spiritual and social topics,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Catholicos-Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian presented the Prime Minister with a relic from the vestment of Saint Ignatius Maloyan — a liturgical garment used during Mass and preserved at the museum of the Armenian monastery in Bzommar, Lebanon. He also presented the Prime Minister with a commemorative medal marking the October 19 canonization ceremony at the Vatican, during which Ignatius Maloyan and six others were declared saints by Pope Leo XIV.
Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan was an Armenian Catholic archbishop who was executed by Ottoman forces during the Armenian Genocide.
Prime Minister Pashinyan attended the canonization ceremony and had a brief conversation with the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, following the event.