Akhtamar Engraving Presented to Pope Francis in Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute

The administration of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute presented to Pope Francis a golden commemorative medal depicting the Armenian Genocide Memorial and engraving of Akhtamar.

Director of the Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan told ARMENPRESS the engraving was prepared a few years ago on a special paper.

“We had prepared a special gift from the Museum. It is one of the engravings dedicated to Akhtamar, prepared on a special paper few years ago. It was issued in Germany by a very limited edition. We decided to present to the Pope one of the collections depicting Akhtamar – symbolizing Christianity – a collection which has only 50 editions”, Demoyan said.

Pope Francis signed the Honorary Guest Book by writing – “Here I pray with pain in my heart, so that never more will there be tragedies like this, so that humanity does not forget and knows how to overcome the evil with good. May God grant the beloved Armenian people and the entire world peace and consolation. May God protect the memory of the Armenian people. Memory should not be diluted or forgotten. Memory is source of peace and the future”.

Demoyan had a brief conversation with Pope Francis. “He was excited on the visit, he expressed gratitude for the gifts, as well as blessed out work and mission”, Demoyan said.

Pope Francis visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial, accompanied by President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Garegin II.

Pope Francis laid a wreath at the Memorial and prayed. The Pope laid flowers with the President and Catholicos Garegin II at the Eternal Flame, where clergymen performed an intercessional ritual for the canonized martyrs.