Armen Sarkissian Visits the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem with His Wife

The President of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Sarkissian, and his wife, Nune Sarkissian, visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. They were greeted by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s Chief Priest, His Grace Archbishop Sevan Garabedian.

During their visit, the President and his wife toured the church, lit candles, listened to hymns performed by Armenian clergy, and prayed together with them.

On behalf of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Chief Priest welcomed the visit of the President and his wife to the holy city of Bethlehem, noting that it is a great national pride for Armenians to be present there.

As reported by the public relations department of the Office of the President of the Republic of Armenia, during a conversation with the clergy in the section of the Church of the Nativity administered by the Armenian Apostolic Church, President Armen Sarkissian stated: “Your mission, which you began hundreds of years ago at the beginning of the 21st century, retains the same value and significance since the day Jesus Christ was born here. Therefore, departing from that historic day does not mean that its significance diminishes for the world and for our people. On the contrary, it grows, as the world increasingly needs the appreciation of faith in God and human values. What you do is dedication to God and the preservation of human values, which I hold in high regard. Here there is a historical, spiritual Armenian spirit, and entering this church, you truly feel the Armenian presence.”

According to President Sarkissian,