STEPANAKERT, NKR (A.W.)—Nagorno-Karabagh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) President Bako Sahakyan met with His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, on April 13 in Stepanakert.
NKR President Bako Sahakyan met with His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, on April 13 in Stepanakert. (Photo: Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia)
The meeting focused on the situation on the NKR LoC and the large-scale military aggression carried out by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on April 2-5, according to a press statement released by the President’s office. During the meeting, Sahakyan noted that the entire Armenian nation demonstrated exemplary unity, cohesion, patriotism, and dedication, and stressed the important role of the Armenian Apostolic Church in this process.
Aram I entering the helicopter in Yerevan (Photo: Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia)
The Primate of the Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan, as well as a group of ecclesiastic representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church also participated in the meeting.
According to the official website of the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia, the Catholicoi departed Yerevan via helicopter and were welcomed in NKR by Archbishop Martirosyan and government and ecclesiastic representatives.
The Catholicoi greeted by servicemen in NKR. (Photo: Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia)
A day earlier, on April 12, Armenian President Serge Sarkisian held a meeting with the Catholicoi at Armenia’s Presidential Palace in Yerevan. The three discussed the situation on the NKR LoC and the importance of uniting state-church relations for the benefit of national issues and overcoming existing challenges.
In an interview with Armenia TV in Etchmiadzin on April 12, His Holiness Aram I said that the large-scale military aggression carried out by Azerbaijan was a wake-up call for the Armenian people and stressed that while the Armenian people have had many victories, it is important to take measures to not allow such acts of aggression by Azerbaijan. “The protection and the strengthening of our homeland is a holy and sacred purpose for us [Armenians],” he said.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Catholicoi Meet with NKR President in Capital Stepanakert