A reception was held yesterday at Rome’s Palazzo della Cancelleria to mark the opening of the Embassy of Armenia in the Vatican and Armenia’s 22nd year of independence.

Hosted by the Armenian Ambassador to the Vatican, the reception also marked the opening of an exhibition devoted to the Christian legacy of St. Gregory the Illuminator.

Attending the repletion were Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Orefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Roman Curia; Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States in the Roman Curia; representatives of the Armenian Catholic and Armenian Apostolic Churches; members of the diplomatic corps in the Vatican; and deputies of the Armenian and Italian parliaments.

Also attending was world renowned chansonnier Charles Aznavour.  

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian, who is on an official visit to Italy, welcomed the guests.

“It is an extremely symbolic day today. Armenia, being the first country to proclaim Christianity as the state religion, is opening a diplomatic representation at the Holy See,” Nalbandian noted, adding that, “Armenia appreciates the Armenian Genocide’s recognition by the Holy See in 2000, which was reconfirmed in 2001.”