Pope Francis addresses followers of Armenian Catholic Church

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Pope Francis expressed his satisfaction with the consecration ceremony of Holy Martyrs Armenian Catholic Church, an episcopal residence, in Gyumri.

At the consecration ceremony Papal Nuncioin Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Archbishop Marek Solchinski conveyed to theCatholicos of All Armenians and to everybody Pope Francis’s greetings and wishes, noting that His Holiness Pope Francis expressed his satisfaction that the godly mission and everyone’s efforts and initiatives were successfully fulfilled.

”Armenpress” reports that His Holiness asked theVirgin Mary to grant her powerful protection, and imparted hisPatriarchal Apostolic Blessing greeting all the political and religious leaders, brethren of the Armenian Apostolic Church and followers of the Armenian Catholic Church,

President Serzh Sargsyan attended today the official consecration ceremony of Holy Martyrs Armenian Catholic Church, an episcopal residence, in Gyumri. The ceremony was held as part of the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial. Itwas S. E. Archbishop Nerses Der-Nersessian of blessed memory, the first primate of the Ordinariate of the Armenian Catholic Church in Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Eastern Europe, who pursued a goal to build an Armenian Catholic church in Gyumri as an episcopal residence. The preparatory actions were continued by second Primate S. E. Archbishop Nshan Karakeheeyan, construction works started in 2010 during the service of H. Vahan Ohanyan, an apostolic delegate, with the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and with the support of the Republic of Armenia government.The church is designed by architect Hakob Jivanyan.The church construction was continued and finished by S. E. Archbishop Rafael Minasyan who took the office of primate in 2011. It was his decision to name the church Holy Martyrs as a symbol of the Armenian Genocide Centennial to keep the martyrs’ memories alive forever.