Armenian Church Leaders Participate in Enthronement Of Pope Leo Xiv

Western Prelate Archbishop Kegham Kacherian greets Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on May 19

At the direction of Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos, the Prelates of the Western and Eastern Prelacies of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America, Archbishop Kegham Khacherian and Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, represented the Catholicosate of Holy See of Cilicia at the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV, held on Sunday at the Vatican.

The following morning at 9 a.m. the Pope received delegates from the participating churches in the Vatican’s reception hall. Among them were the Western and Eastern Prelates.

In his remarks to the representatives of the sister churches, the Pope reflected on the idea of “universal brotherhood,” referencing the efforts of his predecessors, especially Saint John XXIII, as well as Pope Francis’s commitment to inter-church collaboration and interfaith dialogue, which he said are built on personal relationships and shared human encounters.

The Pope emphasized that true Christian unity is only possible when we are “united in Jesus Christ,” adding that “the more faithful and obedient we are to Him, the more united we will be with one another.” For this reason, the Pope called on all Christians to pray and collaborate in pursuit of the goal of unity.

Following the ceremony, the Prelates extended the fraternal blessings and well wishes of His Holiness Aram I to the newly elected Pope.

All hierarchical sees of the Armenian Apostolic Church were represented by their respective delegations. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin was represented by the Istanbul Patriarch Archbishop Sahak Mashalian and Archbishop Khajag Barsamian. The Jerusalem Patriarchate was represented by Bishop Koryun Baghdasarian, Dean of the Patriarchate and Very Rev. Aghan Gogchyan.