His Holiness Karekin II Receives a Delegation from Russia’s Kursk Region
On May 26, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received a delegation from the Russian region of Kursk. The delegation was led by Mrs. Lyudmila Grebenkova, Deputy Governor, Chairman of the Domestic Policy Committee of Kursk.
Mr. Aleksan Koshtoyan, Head of the Armenian Community of Kursk, introduced the members of the delegation to the Catholicos of All Armenians, and spoke on the purpose of their visit to Armenia.
His Holiness Karekin II welcomed the guests to the Spiritual Center of All Armenians, and briefly presented the history of the Armenian Church, and the difficulties that church faced during Soviet time and during the present, highlighting the crucial part that the church has played in the spiritual, national and cultural life of the Armenian people. Discussing the role of the Armenian Church in forging friendly relations between the Armenian and Russian people, His Holiness emphasized the importance to further enhance and develop the long-established amicable relations between the two countries, in culture, economy and other sectors.
Reflecting on the Armenian community in Russia, the Catholicos of Al Armenians expressed his gratitude to the Russian authorities for the respect shown towards the Armenian people.
During the meeting they also discussed the close relations between the Armenian Apostolic and Russian Orthodox Churches, church-state relations, as well as the importance of providing religious education to the young generation.
