Cilicia Catholicosate Emissary Visits Armenia, Meets with Pashinyan

Expresses Aram I’s Concern About Arrests of Clerics
Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, of the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia is visiting Armenia and met on Thursday with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Arch. Sarkissian, who heads the Catholicosate’s “Cilicia” Madenataran, was accompanied by the director of the Madenataran in Armenia, Ara Khzmalyan. The two briefed the prime minister about the cooperation between the historic archival insitutions, with Sarkissian elaborating on his work with various other cultural centers in Armenia.
The meeting also served as an opportunity to reflect on the state-church relationship. Archbishop Sarkissian, on behalf of Catholicos Aram I, expressed his concern about the current situation and stressed the importance of church-state cooperation, according to a press statement from the Cilician Catholicosate.
“At the same time, he raised the issue of the arrest of clergy and the imperative to find necessary solutions in this regard,” the statement said.
Arch. Sarkissian then presented Pashinyan with a special illustrated volume dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Aram I’s election and enthronement as Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia.
Arch. Sarkissian said during his visit he has held several meetings, and has presented the special anniversary volumes to former president Levon Ter-Petrossian, the Foreign Minister and Speaker of the Parliament, through their offices, and plans to deliver the commemorative publication to President Vahagn Khachatryan, and to former presidents, Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sarkisian.
Arch. Sarkissian is also scheduled to meet His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.