ETCHMIADZIN. – At the invitation of the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, President Serzh Sargsyan participated in Saturday’s session of the Diocesan Representational Assembly, which is convened at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.    

In his opening remarks, the Catholicos welcomed the President’s attendance to the event, Information System of the Mother See informs. “We are pleased to confirm that Armenia greatly supports the activities of our [church] dioceses in the diaspora, too, specifically by way of the diplomatic service officers,” Karekin II noted. Also, he expressed confidence that the aforesaid Assembly will serve to strengthen the Armenian people’s national and church lives, and he extended his well wishes and gave his blessings to Armenia’s President.                

“The Armenian Apostolic Church also has a cultural, nation-preserving, and political importance for us,” President Serzh Sargsyan said in his welcoming remarks, and stressed that, now, the Armenian Apostolic Church can expect a greater support from the Armenian state. “The issues being discussed here [in this session] are really pressing. We all wish to be closer to our people, to their problems and pains, [and] to find answers to their questions,” the President added.           

In his remarks, Serzh Sargsyan also spoke about the problems facing Syrian Armenians, and he noted that the Armenian Church, the state, and the Diaspora-Armenian communities have tasks to carry out in this respect.