His Holiness Karekin II Received Prime Minister of Georgia
15.10.2019
On October 15, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenian; received His Excellency Giorgi Gakharia, Prime Minister of Georgia, who was paying an official visit to Armenia, accompanied by Mr. Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
Welcoming the visit of the Delegation led by the Prime Minister of Georgia to the Spiritual center of All Armenians, the Pontiff of All Armenians congratulated Mr. Giorgi Gakharia for assuming the responsible role of the Georgian Prime Minister and expressed hope that the visit will contribute to the strengthening of the Armenian-Georgian centuries-old friendship. His Holiness reflected on the historical relations between the two nations which are rich with numerous testimonies of mutual help, support and united struggle affirming that those are the solid base on which the two countries' partnerships should be built and established.
The Pontiff of All Armenians informed that the Christian faith and value-system have played a special role in the relationship between the two fraternal nations due to which numerous hardships have been overcome. His Holiness also spoke about the significant role of the Armenian Apostolic and the Georgian Orthodox Churches in the preservation of the national identity and culture, as well as, in the consolidation and state-building of the Armenian and Georgian people.
In his turn, the Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia conveyed warm greetings of His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, to the Catholicos of All Armenians expressing a conviction that the age-old friendship between the two nations is based on the close ecclesiastical relations. The Prime Minister highlighted that the Church has always had its vital and state-building significance and will continue to remain so. Referring to the results of the visit, Mr. Giorgi Gakharia stated that all issues between the two countries and people will be solved based on the fraternal relations.
During the meeting, His Holiness expressed his gratitude to the Georgian authorities to support the activities of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia and care for the Armenian community of Georgia, expressing hope at the same time, that the necessary measures will be taken to preserve the Armenian cultural and spiritual heritage in the country properly.
The Pontiff of All Armenians conveyed his greetings and wishes to the Head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, then came up with a suggestion to organize spiritual-cultural events, exhibitions of ecclesiastical values to promote the strengthening of the cultural and spiritual relations between the two nations.
At the conclusion, the Catholicos of All Armenians conveyed his Blessings and wishes of the peace and wellbeing to the Georgian people.
