His Holiness Karekin II Receives Chinese Parliamentary Delegation
On June 8, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received Mr. Timour Davamat, Vice-President of the Chinese Parliament?s Standing Committee, and his delegation. Mr. Tigran Torossian, Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly (Parliament) of the Republic of Armenia, accompanied the group.
During the meeting, His Holiness and the guests spoke about Armenian-Chinese ties, which span nearly five centuries. His Holiness noted that China was home to a very historic diasporan Armenian community, where they built churches and became the first translators of the Holy Bible into Chinese.
His Holiness informed the guests about the historical role and mission of the Armenian Church in the life of the Armenian people, and referred to the difficulties and hardships which the Church faced during Soviet rule. The Catholicos also told about the present day reawakening within the faithful and the Church?s responsibility and task in the process.
In response, Mr. Davamat informed His Holiness about the spiritual-religious life of China, and mentioned that a multitude of religions exist side-by-side in his country. He further stated that freedom of faith and religion is respected and protected by the Chinese Constitution. Mr. Davamat assigned great importance to the protection of a nation?s historical and cultural values and expressed his admiration of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and Armenian Church architecture.
