DICASTERIUM
AD CHRISTIANORUM UNITATEM FOVENDAM

Visit of His Holiness Aram I

Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church – See of Cilicia

Vatican, 17-21 May 2026

From 17 to 21 May, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church – See of Cilicia (Antelias, Lebanon), accompanied by a delegation of twelve bishops of the Armenian diaspora, will pay an official visit to the Vatican.

The private audience with the Holy Father will be followed my a moment of ecumenical prayer in the Urban VIII Chapel of the Vatican Apostolic Palace. This is the Catholicos’ first official visit to Pope Leo XIV; he will also participate in the General Audience in Saint Peter’s Square on 20 May.

During the visit, His Holiness Aram I will also meet with the Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, and will visit the Dicasteries for Promoting Christian Unity, for Interreligious Dialogue, and for the Oriental Churches, as well as the Pontifical Armenian College.

On 19 May, at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, the Catholicos will hold a public lecture entitled “The Challenges of Churches in the Middle East”.

The programme of the visit will also involve several moments of prayer at the Tomb of Saint Peter, the Basilica of Saint Mary Major and the statues of Saint Gregory the Illuminator and Saint Gregory of Narek in the Vatican.

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia since 1995, is known for his commitment to ecumenism at local and international levels.

On Wednesday 20 May at 16.00, in the Sala Marconi (Piazza Pia 2), His Holiness Aram I will give a press conference, which will provide an opportunity to discuss issues such as the challenges faced by Churches in the Middle East, the relations between the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church, theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, ecumenical and interreligious challenges, and the situation of Christians in Lebanon.

The conference will be held in English; the Catholicos speaks English, French, Armenian and Arabic.

Participation procedure:

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate must apply, no later than 24 hours before the event, exclusively via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at: press.vatican.va/accreditamenti