ECHMIADZIN–During the National Supreme Religious Council of the Holy See of Echmidazin–His Holiness Karekin II–Catholicos of all Armenia’s accompanied by member of the Supreme Council visited the church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator in Yerevan–Monday.
The group led by His Holiness Karekin II–said a prayer for the souls of Vazken I and Karekin I–with whose work and dedication it was that the Church of Saint Gregory was built.
The Catholicos announced that his predecessor–His Holiness Karekin I–the late Catholicos of All Armenia’s had donated $750,000 from his personal funds toward the construction of the Cathedral.
The St. Gregory the Illuminator Church was built as a symbol of the Armenian people’s faith in accordance with the 1700th anniversary of Christianity as a state religion.
Tuesday–His Holiness Karekin II left for the Vatican to pronounce his brotherly love and respect for the Catholic Pope–John Paul II. On this occasion the Pope will present his Holiness with the relics of Saint Gregory the Illuminator which have been kept for more than 500 years in the St. Gregory monastery in Napoli. These relics will be placed in the St. Gregory the Illuminator church as a symbol of faith and spirituality for the Armenian people.