The head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, on Friday received the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan at an audience in the Vatican.
During the meeting, President Sargsyan formally invited the Pope to visit Armenia in 2015. His Holiness accepted the invitation with pleasure, adding that he was looking forward to the visit.
Serzh Sargsyan later met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. They discussed the current level and prospects for development of relations between Armenia and the Vatican State. They also discussed problems related to Christian communities in the Middle East.
Sources close to the Armenian President said that during the meeting the issue of the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was also discussed. The Armenian President thanked the Vatican Secretary of State for the balanced approach of the Holy See on the matter.
source: commonspace.eu with agencies
photo: President Sargsyan with Pope Francis, at the Vatican on Friday, 19 September 2014 (picture courtesy opf the Press Service of the President of Armenia.)
