On the first liturgical commemoration of Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church, in the General Roman Calendar, the Congregation for the Eastern Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity organized a celebration in the Vatican on Saturday 27 February, in collaboration with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Rome, and with the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the Holy See.

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, presided over the Eucharistic Celebration in Saint Peter’s Basilica, concelebrated with His Excellency Lévon Bogos Zékyian, Archbishop of Istanbul for the Armenian Catholic faithful and Pontifical Delegate for the Mekhitarist Congregation, and Bishop Brian Farrell, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, together with Father Naamo Nareg, Rector of the Pontifical Armenian College, and Father Hyacinthe Destivelle, Official of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Watch the video 🎬

After the celebration, the participants proceeded to the statue of Saint Gregory of Narek that had been blessed by Pope Francis in 2018 in the Vatican Gardens, where Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, together with Cardinal Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, led an ecumenical prayer together with His Excellency Archbishop Zékyian and Reverends Narek Naomo, Tirayr Hakopyan, Vache Mkrtchyan and Bsag Tepirjan.

Both events were accompanied by hymns sung by the students of the Pontifical Armenian College.