Vatican briefing on papal trip to Armenia
June 21, 2016
Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, briefed reporters on June 21 about the plans for a visit to Armenia by Pope Francis this coming weekend.
The Pontiff will travel to Armenia on Friday, June 24, and return on Sunday, June 26. While there he will meet with descendants of victims of the Armenian genocide in 1915. He will celebrate Mass in Gyumri, the 2nd-largest city in the country, and visit a monastery near the Turkish border.
Ecumenism will be a key theme of the papal visit, Father Lombardi said. The Holy Father will meet with Catholicos Karekin II, the leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, with whom the Holy See has developed very friendly ties.
The visit to Armenia is one of a pair of trips the Pope has planned to the Caucasus region this year. He will make another visit, to Azerbaijan and Georgia, at the end of September.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
