His Holiness Karekin II Receives New Syrian Charge d'Affaires
On July 28, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received Mr. Hassan Rasslan, the newly appointed Charge d'Affaires for the Syrian Arab Republic to Armenia. This was Mr. Rasslan's first visit to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Welcoming the Charge d'Affaires to the spiritual center of the Armenians, His Holiness reflected on the warm relations which exist between the two countries, and expressed his confidence that they will continue to progress and improve on many different levels. Additionally, His Holiness expressed the cordial attitude that the Mother See has towards Syria, noting that one of our young priests from Holy Etchmiadzin is currently assigned to the Armenian Church Diocese of Damascus, while he completes his higher education at the St. Aphrem Theological Seminary of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate.
His Holiness also solemnly referred to his visit to Syria and the deserts of Der Zor in 2001, which served as a new occasion for the development of fraternal relations between the Armenian and Syrian peoples.
Mr. Rasslan thanked His Holiness for the reception, and noted that his visit to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, in addition to being a visit of protocol, was of great significance for him personally.
At the conclusion of the meeting, His Holiness gave his blessings to the newly appointed Charge d'Affaires, and expressed confidence that Mr. Rasslan would continue the work of his predecessors in Armenia with the same zeal.
