Garegin paid tribute to Francis in a letter of condolences sent to the Vatican following the passing of the 88-year-old pontiff on Monday.
“The late Pope Francis of blessed memory was a humble, courageous, and kind shepherd who faithfully walked in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ,” he wrote. “He undertook the lofty and responsible papal mission during difficult times. He bore witness to the Gospel — consistently standing for justice and peace, offering special attention and care to those in need, and contributing significantly to strengthening interchurch relations.”
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian also offered his condolences to the Roman Catholic Church, describing Francis as a “pioneer of mercifulness and humanitarian ideas.” As of Tuesday evening, Pashinian’s office did not say whether he too will travel to Vatican City to attend the funeral.
Francis was given a red-carpet reception when he visited Armenia in June 2016. Praying at the Echmiadzin cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church, he saluted the South Caucasus nation for making Christianity an “essential part of its identity.”
He and Garegin held an ecumenical liturgy in Yerevan’s central square which attracted thousands of people. They praised the “growing closeness” between their churches in a joint declaration issued at the end of the papal trip.
While in Armenia, Francis also reaffirmed his recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide, prompting a strong condemnation from Turkey.
The pontiff marked the 100th anniversary of what he called “the first genocide of the 20th century” with a special mass held at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica in April 2015. Turkey responded by recalling its ambassador from the Vatican in protest.
Garegin mentioned the mass in his letter of condolences, saying that “the Armenian people will forever hold in grateful memory” the ceremony. Pashinian did not mention the 2015 commemoration or Francis’s statements on the Armenian genocide.
The Catholic and Armenian churches had essentially ended their long-standing theological differences with a joint statement issued in 1996. Successive Armenian governments have also sought closer ties with the Vatican. The Holy See opened a diplomatic mission in Yerevan in 2021.
