 59 24.06.16 - Pope Francis arrives in Armenia                                                                Pope Francis arrives in Armenia (Updating) (video)   June 24, 2016 - 14:57 AMTPanARMENIAN.Net - Pope Francis arrived in Yerevan, Armenia on Friday, June 24. His plane landed at the Zvartnots International Airport at 3:00pm local time. 5:50 pm - The pontiff arrived at the presidential palace and was greeted by Sargsyan. The two headed for the receptions hall for an auditorium. 3:35 pm -The pope was greeted with the Hrashapar (wondrously glorious) service, which is traditionally offered as a service of welcome to top religious clerics. 3:00 pm -A state arrival ceremony is underway at the airpot following the pope's meeting with the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, President Serzh Sargsyan and First Lady Rita Sargsyan. The pontiff will be greeted with the Hrashapar (wondrously glorious) service which is traditionally offered as a service of welcome to top religious clerics in Etschmiadzin. He is then scheduled to meet with Sargsyan at the presidential palace in Yerevan. During his trip to Armenia, the Pope will meet descendants of those killed during the Armenian Genocide when he travels to a memorial complex in Yerevan. Other highlights of the Pope’s program during his visit to Armenia include the Pope’s meeting with the civil and religious authorities including the Catholicos and other representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Pope will also visit Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, where he will hold an open-air mass before returning to the capital to attend an ecumenical meeting and prayer for peace. On his final day, the Pope will visit the Khor Virap monastery near the Turkish border where he will release doves in the direction of Mount Ararat.  Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18.   Partner news |  Latest news Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan  A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia.U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel.Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. |
