His Holiness–Aram I–Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia–arrived in Athens –Greece on Wednesday evening after a visit to Romania. Aram I–who was invited to Romania by President Emil Constantinescu–also took part in the 12th international inter-church general assembly.
Greeting Aram I at the airport in Athens was Greece’s Armenian Prelate Archbishop Sahag Aivazian–the Archbishop for Athens and all of Greece Kristodolus’ representative–the Armenian and Lebanese Ambassadors to Greece–leaders of the church community–as well as Greek social and political leaders. On the same evening–Aram I met with the leaders of the Greek Orthodox church and the Greek Government.
Thursday morning–the Lebanese and Armenian Ambassadors to Greece visited Aram I–in the Athens National Curacy. In the afternoon–Aram I had lunch with the leaders of the Greek Orthodox Church. The Catholicos later met with national–community–cultural–and social leaders and expressed his thoughts about Armenia–the Diaspora and the position of the church. That the evening–the national government hosted a banquet in honor of Aram I’s visit.