Serzh Sargsyan meets with Pope Francis in Vatican City
On the second day of his official visit to the Vatican City, President Serzh Sargsyan met with Pope Francis at the pontifical residence.
Their extended talks, attended by delegation members, were preceded by a tête-à-tête in library.
The sides later exchanged gifts. President Serzh Sargsyan gave the pontific a model of the Saint Gayane Church (located in Armenia’s Armavir region). The pope’s gift for Armenia’s leader was a marble statue symbolizing peace.
The president also met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
Pope Francis is to consecrate a bronze statue of Saint Gregory of Narek (Grigor Narekatsi), a 10th century Armenian monk and poet (famed as a Doctor of Universal Church, in a special ceremony later today.
Apart from President Sargsyan, the historic event will be attended also by Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I.
Pope Francis received the bronze statuette of Narekatsi as in the course of his visit to Armenia in 2016.