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."