ETCHMIADZIN. –  Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, who is on an ecumenical visit to Finland, met with Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland and Head of the Orthodox Church of Finland.

After visiting the Orthodox Church Center and Museum in the city of Kuopio, the heads of the two churches offered a joint prayer in the New Valaam monastery complex, Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Also, Karekin referred to the dialogue initiated between the Catholicos of All Armenians and the spiritual leader of Azerbaijan since the first day of the conflict in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), and the efforts towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

“Sadly, Azerbaijan desires to solve the problem through military actions, the evidence of which is the military operations launched against Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) by Azerbaijan in April 2016,” the Catholicos of All Armenians stated, in particular.

Following the common prayer, His Holiness and his delegation was hosted by Archmindrate Sergius, the Abbot of the New Valaam Monastery.

Also, Karekin II visited the Orthodox Department of Theology, at the School of Theology at the University of Eastern Finland Joensuu, where he delivered brief remarks.

Subsequently, the Catholicos of All Armenians traveled to the Joensuu city airport, from where his delegation will travel to Helsinki, and then to Moscow, to return to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.