Wednesday, April 4 2018 16:41

ArmInfo. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will pay an official visit to the Holy See (Vatican City) today.

According t the press service of the Armenian state, Sargsyan will  hold a meeting with the Pope of Rome, Vatican Secretary of State  Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and also take part in the opening of the  monument to the Armenian theologian and philosopher Saint Grigor  Narekatsi. After that there is an ecumenical ceremony with the  participation of the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and the  Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram the First. 

The Armenian President also plans to meet with the lieutenant of the  Grand Master (locum tenens) of the Order of Malta Giacomo Della Tore  during the visit from 4 to 6 April. A cooperation agreement will be  signed between Armenia, St. John (Ierusalim) and the Order of Malta,  after which Sargsyan and Giacomo Della Tora will make a statement to  the press.The Armenian President will also make a working visit to  Italy, where he will hold a meeting with his Italian counterpart  Sergio Mattarella, Senate Chairman Maria Elizabetta Casellati, and  Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy Roberto Fico.In June  2016, during the visit of Pope Francis to Armenia, Armenian President  Serzh Sargsyan presented him with a model of the monument to  Narekatsi, expressing the hope that his large copy will be installed  in the Vatican in the future. The Pope liked the monument. He  thankedpresident, giving his consent.St. Grigor Narekatsi (Grigory  Narek, about 951 - 1003 years) is an Armenian poet, philosopher and  theologian. Recognized by the Catholic Church as one of 36 "Teachers  of the Church". The top of his work is a lyrical and mystical poem "A  Book of Mournful Songs."