RF PM MEETS WITH HEAD OF ARMENIA CHURCH AT EJMIADZIN

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Feb 6 2008

EJMIADZIN, Armenia, February 6 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Prime Minister
Viktor Zubkov had a conversation at Ejmiadzin on Wednesday with head
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II. The meeting
wound up the prime minister’s official visit to Armenia.

"The visit is over," Zubkov said, addressing Garegin II. "I arrived
here yesterday. We put in a day’s work today with the Armenian prime
minister and the parliamentary speaker. I also had a meeting with
the president and with you."

"We are glad to welcome you at Ejmiadzin, which is the spiritual and
administrative centre of the Armenian Apostolic Church," Garegin II
told the Russian premier.

He presented Zubkov with an Armenian cross and an album with
photographs. Zubkov presented the Catholicos of all Armenians with
twelve silver medals with the image of St Nicholas the Miracle-Worker.

Garegin II showed to his guest a unique relic of the Armenian Apostolic
Church – a stone cross, executed in 1308. The premier was also shown
the Armenian alphabet and an Armenian cross made of gold in 1973.

Then Zubkov went to the Cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church
built in the 15th century. Chiefs of the Armenian patriarchate took the
premier on a unique tour to the alter-space where even high-ranking
guests are rarely taken. Zubkov saw the cathedral’s treasure house
that contains such relics, as part of Noah’s ark from Mount Ararat,
a fragment of the cross of Christ, silver crosses dating from the
10th – 14th centuries, ancient Armenian icons, and the spear with
which the body of the crucified Christ was pierced.

Zubkov was also taken to the excavation site of the first, ancient
tier of the cathedral where St Gregory founded this temple on the
site of a pagan shrine.