Catholicos Karekin II and Pope Leo XIV discuss plight of forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo. The Catholicos was accompanied by a delegation and by Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

Following a fraternal embrace, the spiritual leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Roman Catholic Church held a private conversation.
Catholicos Karekin II extended heartfelt congratulations to Pope Leo XIV on his election to the See of Saint Peter and on the occasion of his 70th birthday, praying that God grant him strength and wisdom and bless his papacy with abundant spiritual fruits for the glory of God and the peace and welfare of humanity.

His Holiness reflected with gratitude on the deepening fraternal ties between the two Churches, strengthened through numerous encounters and joint testimonies of faith. He recalled the historic 2001 visit of Saint Pope John Paul II to Armenia and the 2016 pilgrimage of the late Pope Francis to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, celebrated under the motto “Visit to the First Christian Nation.” The Catholicos also highlighted other milestones, including the 2015 Divine Liturgy at St. Peter’s Basilica commemorating the centenary of the Armenian Genocide and the proclamation of St. Gregory of Narek as a Doctor of the Universal Church.
Expressing confidence that relations between the two Churches will continue to flourish in the same spirit of fraternity and warmth, His Holiness stressed the importance of ongoing collaboration for the benefit of the faithful.
During their conversation, the two Church leaders discussed global crises and troubling developments, as well as the challenges and trials facing Armenia and the Armenian people. The Catholicos drew special attention to the plight of Armenians displaced from their ancestral homeland of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), the urgent need to safeguard Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage under threat of destruction, and the imperative of releasing prisoners of war and captives.

Both leaders underscored the mission of the Churches to promote justice and peace in the world and to foster harmony among peoples, remaining faithful to their calling to strengthen faith, hope, and love in human hearts. They emphasized the need for joint efforts to spread the light of the Gospel, defend human rights, and build a safer and more just world.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Catholicos Karekin II invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Armenia. Members of the Armenian Church delegation received the Pope’s blessing, and the encounter ended with an exchange of gifts.
As part of his visit to the Vatican, the Catholicos also prayed at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, at the tomb of the late Pope Francis, offering prayers for the repose of his soul.