Pontifical Visit Media Advisory
His Holiness Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians

Pontifical Visit of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)

630 Second Avenue New York, New York 10016

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate

Pontifical Visit
Media Relations Office
Michael O’Hurley-Pitts, Ph.D.
Director
Telephone: 212.686.0710 ext. 154
michael@armeniandiocese.org
Facsimile: 212.689.1934
Cellular: 212.533.0335

Sylvie Keshishian
Public Relations Director
Telephone: 212.686.0710 ext. 160
publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org
Facsimile: 212.689.1934

PRESS RELEASE
16 October 2007

His Holiness Karekin II Pays Personal Visit in Miami to Archbishop
Christodoulos of Athens & All Greece

Miami – His Beatitude Archbishop Christodoulos, the Greek Orthodox Church of
Athens and All Greece, was visited by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, at a private home in Miami this
morning.

His Beatitude Archbishop Christodoulos traveled to the United States earlier
this year for medical treatment. His Holiness Karekin II, aware of His
Beatitude’s failing health, expressed his desire to visit him. Taking time
out from his pastoral visits to his parishes as part of his 18 city,
14-state Pontifical Visit to the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), the Catholicos of All Armenians paid a personal visit to his
friend and collaborator, Archbishop Christodoulos earlier this morning in
Miami.

His Beatitude Archbishop Christodoulos expressed his sincere pleasure in
receiving His Holiness Karekin II, who was accompanied in the personal visit
by His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese.

His Holiness Karekin II and His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian were
joined this morning by the Greek Consul General to Tampa, His Excellency
Andreas Psycharis, two Bishops from the Greek Orthodox Church, His Eminence
Metropolitan Theologos of Serres and Bishop Theoklitos of Vresthena, and the
Chancellor to His Beautitude, the Reverend Thomas Synodinos and several
assistants.

His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, His Holiness Karekin II and His
Beatitude Christodoulos Praying In Armenian and Greek

The Catholicos shared with His Beatitude Archbishop Christodoulos that the
mutual respect and history between Greece and Armenia mean a great deal to
him. Together, the two faith leaders and friends reminisced about their
last meeting in Istanbul in 2006, which took place at the invitation of His
All Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox
Church which was joined with the invitation of His Beatitude Mesrob II,
Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey.

As a pledge of his fraternal affection, His Holiness Karekin II presented
Archbishop Christodoulos with an Armenian Cross. Afterwards, the two
spiritual leaders prayed together in Greek and Armenian. The Archbishop
presented a silver plate to His Holiness Karekin II and an icon to His
Eminence Khajag Barsamian. The silver plate given to the Catholicos bares
the personal seal and signature of His Beatitude Archbishop Christodoulos,
marking it as an intimate, personal gift. His Beatitude conveyed to the
Catholicos that the kindness he showed in taking time out from his
Pontifical Visit to pay his respects and pray with him provided considerable
spiritual consolation.

Before departing, His Holiness told His Beatitude Christodoulos that he
would continue to pray for his good health again that morning during a
service at St. Mary Armenian Church in Hollywood, Florida.

His Beatitude expressed his happiness to the Catholicos about the Armenian
Genocide Resolution out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee being passed
on October 10. Both noted the losses to human life inflicted upon their
respective peoples at the close of the Ottoman Empire.

Relations between Greece and Armenia are very strong both emotionally and
historically, due to their long, shared history and their mutual commitment
to the Christian faith. Greeks and Armenians lived side by side during both
the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.

Historically, relations between Greece and Armenia have been very warm. The
President of the Hellenic Republic, President Karolos Papoulias, accompanied
by First Lady Mei Papoulias, was invited to Armenia on a three-day state
visit in June 2007 by the invitation of Armenia’s President, Robert
Kocharian. President Kocharian had previously been invited to, and visited
Greece in 2000.

While making his State visit to Armenia in 2007, President Papoulias made a
pilgrimage to Holy Etchmiadzin where he was received by His Holiness Karekin
II at the Catholicosate. The President also visited the cathedral of Holy
Etchmiadzin along with the Catholicos.

Following the visit to the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of Athens
and All Greece, His Holiness Karekin II asked the Armenian faithful to pray
for the Archbishop’s good health at St. Mary’s Armenian Church in Hollywood,
Florida. As part of the service at St. Mary Armenian Church, His Holiness
Karekin II blessed the khatchkar’s (Armenian stone crosses) on the altar of
the Church.

The Catholicos, His Holiness Karekin II, began his Pontifical Visit to his
flock in the United States with a two-day visit to the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America in California at the beginning of October.
The Catholicos will be visiting the faithful in the Eastern Diocese for an
unprecedented 30 days which will be concluded on November 3rd. During the
course of the Pontifical Visit, His Holiness Karekin II will visit 18 cities
in 14 different states (a complete list of visits can be found online at:
<; ).

Daily coverage of the Pontifical Visit can be found online on the official
Pontifical Visit Web Site (
<http://www.pontifical visit.org/> ). The site provides a wealth of
information about His Holiness Karekin II, the Armenian Church, and the
Diaspora and includes daily photographic and video updates to allow the
faithful throughout the United States and the world to stay abreast of
events, activities and worship services.

For more information on the Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Karekin II,
including supplemental media advisories and background papers, please visit:
<; and
<;

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