The head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, has formally invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Armenia during their first meeting at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
According to Catholic News Agency (CNA), the historic encounter took place on Tuesday at Villa Barberini, overlooking Lake Albano, where Pope Leo has begun spending his traditional day off while the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City undergoes renovations.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the Armenian Church’s representative to the Holy See, said the meeting focused on the urgent need for peace rooted in justice, a theme both leaders see as central to their shared Christian witness.
Armenia, the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion in 301 A.D., has long been a focal point of ecumenical dialogue. Catholicos Karekin II has previously visited the Vatican for meetings with St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis.
As CNA notes, Pope John Paul II became the first pontiff to visit Armenia in 2001, marking the 1,700th anniversary of the nation’s Christian heritage. Pope Francis followed with a three-day pastoral journey in 2016, strengthening ties between the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The Armenian Apostolic Church, also called the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, is the national church of Armenia and a member of the Oriental Orthodox family of Churches.
While the Vatican has not yet announced any international trips for Pope Leo XIV, observers believe his first apostolic journey abroad could be ecumenical in nature, possibly to Turkey in 2025, marking the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.
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