Catholicos Karekin II visits Moscow

CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II VISITS MOSCOW

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, was in Moscow on April 21-22, 2001. He was accompanied by a group of bishops and clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The visit, devoted to the 1700th anniversary of Christianity as state religion in Armenia, was planned to coincide with Easter celebrations.

In the course several meetings that took place between Catholicos Karekin II and Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia during the visit, the unanimous desire was expressed repeatedly to deepen brotherly relations between the two Churches and nations. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II confirmed his intention to visit Armenia next September to participate in the celebrations on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the declaration of Christianity as state religion in Armenia.

On April 22, Patriarch Alexy II and Catholicos Karekin II attended the grand meeting in the Kremlin devoted to the feast of the Resurrection of Christ and the 1700th anniversary of Christianity in Armenia.

Later that day, His Holiness Karekin II and his party departed for Yerevan. His Holiness Alexy II came to the airport to see the Catholicos off.