THE POPE CELEBRATED A MASS IN HOLY ECHMIADZIN

PanARMENIAN.Net - Head of the Catholic Church Pope John Paul II has celebrated a mass in Holy Echmiadzin. The Pontiff called to tolerance and peaceful nature and presented his apologies for the mistakes made by the Roman Catholic Church in the course of its history. John Paul II noted with satisfaction that owing to Armenian Catholicoses there had never been any conflicts between the Roman Catholic and Armenian Apostolic Churches. He also hoped they would closely cooperate in the future.

As reported by "CNA" agency, thousands of pilgrims from all districts of Armenia, as well as from Georgia and Eastern Europe had come to Echmiadzin to hear the Pope's homily. Today the Supreme Pontiff will also visit Khor Virap cloister. There was a prison in its place to the end of the third century A.D., in which founder of the Armenian Apostolic Church Saint Grigor Illuminator was incarcerated for several years. The Pope will leave Armenia for Vatican in the evening of September 27.