CHURCH SHOULD REMAIN ONE OF STRONGHOLDS OF ARMENIAN SPIRIT AND NATIONAL IDENTITY, RA PRESIDENT SAYS

Noyan Tapan
April 21, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II
and Catholicos of the Great Cilician House Aram A visited RA President
Serge Sargsian on April 21. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA
President’s Press Office, mentioning that due to the circumstances
he was not able to take part in the inauguration ceremony of the
newly elected President, Catholicos Aram A said that he has arrived
in Armenia to personally congratulate S. Sargsian and to express his
support to him.

According to S. Sargsian, having support of two Catholicoses, he can
do much and achieve great results. He highly evaluated church’s role
in the life of the Armenian people and said that under conditions
of 1000-year lack of statehood the church assumed some functions
of statehood, preservation of the Armenian nation and bore it with
honor. Emphasizing that henceforth the state will continue supporting
strengthening of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the head of state
said that the national church should remain one of the strongholds
of Armenian spirit and national identity.