His Holiness Karekin II Departs on Pontifical Visit to Turkey
Today, June 20, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians departs for Istanbul, Turkey for a seven-day Pontifical Visit. His Holiness is traveling to Turkey upon the joint invitation of His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople; and His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
During this first Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Karekin II to Turkey, the Catholicos of All Armenians will visit Armenian churches and holy shrines, extend his pontifical blessings to the Armenian community of Istanbul, and meet with Armenian intellectuals and young men and women. On Sunday, June 25, His Holiness will celebrate a Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the Armenian Patriarchate’s Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God.
For two days during the trip, His Holiness will also be the guest of the Ecumenical Patriarch in a fraternal visit. His Holiness will have a number of ecumenical meetings in the Armenian Patriarchate as well. Also planned is a meeting between the Pontiff of All Armenians and the Governor of Istanbul.
His Holiness is scheduled to return to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on June 28.
Accompanying the Catholicos of All Armenians during the journey is His Eminence Archbishop Dirayr Mardigian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Romania and Bulgaria; His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern); His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America; His Eminence Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany; His Eminence Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian, Director of the Publications Department of the Mother See; His Eminence Archbishop Navasard Ktchoyan, Vicar General of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese; His Grace Bishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Legate for the Eastern Diocese (USA); His Grace Bishop Arshak Khatchatrian, Chancellor of the Mother See; His Grace Bishop Armash Nalbandian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Damascus; and Rev. Fr. Vasken Nanian, Staff-Bearer for His Holiness.
