Ararat Mirzoyan Visits Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On November 2, Ararat Mirzoyan, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and met with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, as well as participants of the Supreme Spiritual Council gathered at the Mother See.

In his welcoming remarks, the Catholicos expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the four-day session of the Supreme Spiritual Council. “We value such meetings with both the Supreme Spiritual Council and our ecclesiastical leadership, as the National Assembly, through its legislative activities, regulates all areas of public life, including issues related to spiritual life and values. In this regard, we emphasize the importance of close cooperation between the National Assembly and the Mother See for the well-being of our country and people,” said the Catholicos.

His Holiness also highlighted that throughout all times, the mission of the Armenian Church alongside guiding the Armenian people towards spiritual salvation has been the preservation of national identity, the strengthening of Armenian statehood, and the creation of a prosperous and progressive life for the people. Noting that this has been the calling and awareness of the Armenian clergy, the Supreme Patriarch also emphasized the need for the global Armenian community to unite, with love and a spirit of solidarity, to strengthen the homeland, thereby making it possible to accomplish national aspirations and visions.

Following this, Ararat Mirzoyan welcomed the Supreme Patriarch and the council members. Addressing the enlightening mission of the Church and the spiritual leadership, he specifically pointed out the importance of collaboration between the Armenian Church and the homeland authorities. “For centuries, when we did not have statehood, spiritual leaders took upon themselves the mission of enlightenment. The schools of the Desert, the Gladzor University, the Tatev University. These are institutions that, despite the calamities of war, have kept the Armenian public consciousness alive, being pioneers of the revolution in thought,” noted the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The Speaker also spoke about existing challenges, emphasizing that it is possible to shape the progress of the homeland collaboratively. The members of the Supreme Spiritual Council received updates from the Speaker regarding various issues affecting the public, legislation governing church-state relations, and current collaborations.