HEAD OF ARMENIAN CHURCH DEPARTS ON PONTIFICAL VISIT TO TURKEY

Armenpress
Jun 20 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS: The head of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians, has departed today for Istanbul, Turkey for a seven-day
Pontifical Visit. The press office of the Church said His Holiness
is traveling to Turkey upon the joint invitation of His Beatitude
Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople; and
His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

During this first Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Karekin II to
Turkey, the Catholicos of All Armenians will visit Armenian churches
and holy shrines, extend his pontifical blessings to the Armenian
community of Istanbul, and meet with Armenian intellectuals and young
men and women. On Sunday, June 25, His Holiness will celebrate a
Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the Armenian Patriarchate’s Cathedral
of the Holy Mother of God.

For two days during the trip, His Holiness will also be the guest
of the Ecumenical Patriarch in a fraternal visit. His Holiness will
have a number of ecumenical meetings in the Armenian Patriarchate as
well. Also planned is a meeting between the Pontiff of All Armenians
and the Governor of Istanbul. His Holiness is scheduled to return to
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on June 28.