By Susan Badalian
ROME (Azatutyun) — Catholicos Karekin II again accused Azerbaijan of destroying Armenian churches in Nagorno-Karabakh and called for the release of Armenian prisoners held by Baku when he met with Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday, September 16.
Leo received the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church at the papal summer residence outside Rome for talks which Karekin’s office said highlighted “brotherly ties” between the two churches.
“The Catholicos of All Armenians expressed confidence that relations between the two Churches will continue to develop in the same fraternal spirit and warmth, resulting in new and good joint achievements,” read a statement released by it.
It said that the two religious leaders discussed “disasters and worrying developments taking place in the world” and “challenges and trials facing Armenia and the Armenian people.” Karekin brought up with Leo “the imperative of preserving the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage facing destruction in Artsakh and releasing prisoners of war and hostages,” according to the statement.
“The Pope emphasized that peace must be established on the basis of justice,” Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the Armenian Church’s representative to the Vatican, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service.
