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YEREVAN, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: The first resident Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia Mikael Minasyan handed in his credentials to the Pope Francis at the Holy See on June 7. As Armenpress was reported by the Department for Press, Information and Public Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, during the meeting the Ambassador Minasyan and the Pope Francis touched upon the bilateral historical relations between Armenia and the Holy See and its rich cultural and spiritual heritage. In this regard, the Ambassador Minasyan mentioned that he intends to direct the activity of the newly established Armenian Embassy to the Holy See towards the further enhancement of the bilateral cultural relations, spiritual commonalities, as well as the protection and restoration of the Armenian Christian heritage, which is an integral part of the world cultural heritage.
The Ambassador Mikael Minasyan delivered to the Pope the fraternal greetings of His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. He also expressed his gratitude for the position on the Armenian Genocide expressed during the meeting of the Pope Francis with the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church Nerses Bedros XIX.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia Mikael Minasyan passed to the Pope Francis the invitation by the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to visit Armenia. The Pope of Rome promised to consider the possibility of visiting Armenia.
After the meeting with the Pope, according to the protocol of the Holy See, the Ambassador Minasyan had a meeting with the Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone.
During the meeting the Cardinal Bertone expressed gratitude to the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan for paying great importance to the further development of bilateral relations between Armenia and the Holy See and welcomed the decision to establish an Embassy and appoint a resident Ambassador to the Holy See. The Secretary of State also announced that the State Secretariat is discussing the opening of Nunciature to Armenia.