Catholicos of All Armenians Receives Chairman of State Agency for Religious Affairs of Georgia

On March 9, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; received Mr. Zaza Vashakmadze, Chairman of State Agency for Religious Affairs of Georgia, and his delegation. They were accompanied by Vardan Astsatryan, Director of the Republic of Armenia Department of National Minorities and Department of Religious Affairs. Present at the meeting was His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia.

Welcoming the delegation’s visit to the spiritual center of all Armenians, the Catholicos expressed his support for the creation of the State Agency for Religious Affairs in Georgia.

During the meeting His Holiness and Mr. Vashakmadze spoke directly about the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, and questions and problems concerning the Georgian Orthodox Church. His Holiness welcomed the formation of a partnership with the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, expressing hope that through the joint efforts of the newly created agency and church organizations, all the existing issues will be guided by a better solution.

The meeting also focused on the progress of the work being undertaken by proper institutions for the restoration of the Armenian churches in Georgia that have collapsed over the recent decades, as well as on the necessity of returning historical Armenian sanctuaries to the Armenian Diocese of Georgia to serve the spiritual needs of the Armenian community.

At the conclusion the Catholicos of All Armenians conveyed his greetings and best wishes to His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

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