Fresco Festival Jury Members Visit the Mother See

Church of Armenia

On June 21, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, welcomed the Jury Members and guests of the Fresco International Festival of Religious Films and Modern Art. Accompanying them were His Eminence Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan, Primate of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese; His Grace Bishop Michael Longin, Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church; and the historian Father Ioan Guaita. Present at the meeting was also Rev. Fr. Yesai Artenyan, from the Araratian Pontifical Diocese, visiting priest of the Holy Trinity Church and spiritual director of the festival.

The Catholicos of All Armenians offered his paternal blessings and appreciation to the organizers of the festival of religious films; whose purpose is to reinforce love, solidarity and humanitarian values within the public through religious- cultural dialogue. His Holiness highlighted the importance of undertaking such projects among civil society, which contrary to the tempered spiritual-moral values and the secularization processes of present day – foster peace, tolerance, self-sacrifice and other universal values. His Holiness Karekin II also considered crucial that within the scopes of the festival, many clergymen are actively involved. The Catholicos of All Armenians was confident that the jointly organized Fresco festival will have a positive influence on public life, and the festival members and guests will learn more about the spiritual values of the Armenian people and their rich religious- cultural legacy.

The members and guests of the Fresco festival expressed their gratitude to the His Holiness Karekin II for the warm welcome and informed him that roughly 57 films from 17 countries will be presented during the festival.

The Catholicos of All Armenians extended his appreciation to the organizers of the festival of religious films, wishing much success to the festival.

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