Catholicos of All Armenians Received Hermitage Museum Director

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin – 18/12/16

On December 13, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; received Mr. Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

His Holiness welcomed Mr. Piotrovsky’s visit to the Spiritual Center of All Armenians, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. His Holiness offered his Pontifical blessings and congratulated Mr. Piotrovsky on being elected as an Academician to the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Referring to the close cooperation between the Mother See Museums and the Hermitage, the Catholicos of All Armenians expressed his gratitude to the Director for the assistance, professional advice and training of the museum staff that has been provided to the Mother See for the restoration and preservation of historic sacred treasures of the Armenian Church.

Mr. Piotrovsky expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and in turn expressed readiness to provide the necessary support to Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for the proper preservation of national-spiritual treasures.

During the meeting, His Holiness Karekin II and Mr. Mikhail Piotrovsky discussed organizing a joint exhibition in the Hermitage on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Armenian Church Diocese of Russia and Nor Nakhichevan. They decided to hold a number of events and master classes in Holy Etchmiadzin, within the “Days of Hermitage in Armenia” program.

At the conclusion of the meeting His Holinesss once again stressed his appreciation for the sincere support of Mr. Mikhail Piotrovsky and wished that God always keep him under His protection.

Attending the meeting was Rev. Fr. Asoghik Karapetyan, Director of the Museums and Archives of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

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