Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II today hosted a group of Syriac Orthodox Church pilgrims from the United States at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The pilgrims were led by Father Joseph Shamoun, the spiritual pastor of St. Mark’s Cathedral in New Jersey.

Catholicos Karekin II highlighted the warm and close relations between the Armenian Apostolic and Syriac Orthodox Sister Churches, noting the consistent mutual love, solidarity, and prayerful support between the two institutions.

The Catholicos reflected warmly on his long-standing friendship with Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II (Primate of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East) and sent his best wishes to him.

Catholicos Karekin II thanked Father Shamoun for organizing the trip and expressed hope that these pilgrimages would become a tradition to strengthen the spiritual bond and renewal among the faithful of both churches.

The Syriac Orthodox Church, also informally known as the Jacobite Church, is an Oriental Orthodox church that traces back to the ancient Church of Antioch. The church currently has around 1.5 million followers worldwide.