ArmInfo. The delegation led by the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan during an official visit to Italy visited the Monastery of the Mekhitarist Congregation on the island of St. Lazarus in Venice.
At first, a narrow meeting was held with delegates of the Venice Congregation of the Mekhitarists, then, the Prime Minister toured the monastery, visited the library and later left a note in the "Golden Book".
He particularly noted: "We have come to express our support to the flood-affected Mekhitarist Congregation. I am glad that no irreversible damage was inflicted to it. I would also like to express the Armenian people's gratitude to the Mekhitarist Congregation for being one of the sources of our modern education, science and arts. At the times when the Armenians' identity was jeopardized in the Homeland, the Mekhitarist Congregation became in fact a temple of preservation of our language, history and identity."
Then the Prime Minister met with the delegate of the Venice Congregation of the Mekhitarists, the leader of the diocese of the Armenian Catholic Church of Turkey, Archbishop Levon Zekiyan. "It is a great honor for me to be here. I regret that the reason for visiting is the flood, but on the other hand, I am glad that there was no irreversible damage. To be present here is very exciting for me. I am sure that the Congregation of the Mekhitarists is a symbolic monument of science and culture, will continue to do its job and its role for a long time. The scientific heritage created here and relating, first of all, to Armenian studies, the Armenian language, our history, is laid in the foundation of our new education and science, which is very important, "said the head of government of Armenia.