YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. The official visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to the Vatican kicked off with a one-on-one meeting with Pope Francis in the morning of April 5.

The Armenian President thanked the Pope for his dedication and care for the bilateral relations between Armenia and Vatican and the sincere and warm dialogue.

Sargsyan emphasized that this is already the 5th meeting with the Pope in the recent years.

The President said that each meeting with the Pope is a great honor and warmly recalled Pope Francis’ visit to Armenia in 2016 under the slogan “Pilgrimage to the First Christian Country”, and the 2015 Papal mass in the St. Peter’s Basilica, when St. Gregory of Narek was proclaimed Doctor of The Church.

Serzh Sargsyan mentioned that from now the statue of St. Gregory of Narek will stand next to great saints in the heart of the Catholic World – in Vatican. The Armenian President expressed deepest gratitude to Pope Francis for this decision and told him that a copy of the statue will be erected in Etchmiatsin – the spiritual center of the Armenian Church.

Thus, Gregory of Narek and his legacy become the eternal symbol of solidarity of the two Christian communities, according to the President.

Sargsyan and the Pope both expressed willingness to continue developing and enhancing relations between Armenia and Vatican.

The ceremonial exchange of gifts took place at the end of the meeting.

The Armenian President gave a silver model of the St. Gayane Church to the Pope. The Pope in turn gave the marble copy of a sculpture depicting the Holy Family – kept in the Vatican museums, as well as copies of his latest three books.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan