The Holy Father receives Catholicos Aram I

On Monday 18 May, the Holy Father received His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, together with the members of his delegation, at the Apostolic Palace.

In his address, the Catholicos, emphasising that “bilateral theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the family of the Oriental Orthodox Churches of pivotal importance in our common ecumenical endeavors”, stated: “I am confident that this meeting in the presence of our Archbishops representing the diaspora dioceses, will help us re-affirm our common commitment to move forward on the way to the visible unity of the church.”

In his response, Pope Leo XIV recalled the historical ties between the Church of Rome and the See of Cilicia and announced the inclusion in the Roman Martyrology of Saint Nerses the Gracious, an inclusion which “is a further example of that “ecumenism of the saints” which already unites our Churches”.

The meeting was followed by an ecumenical prayer service co-presided over by the Holy Father and Catholicos Aram I in the Chapel of Urban VIII in the Apostolic Palace.

_{Photos © Vatican Media}