His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians on Wednesday had a meeting with Pope Francis, the Information System of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin reports.

“During the conversation, the Supreme Patriarch touched upon the devastating consequences of the 44-day war, the current challenges facing Armenia and Artsakh and placed special emphasis on the return of prisoners of war and those who were captured during the post-war period. His Holiness also extended thanks to Pope Francis for the support provided to the Armenian people and Armenia during the war. At the end of the meeting, Pope Francis gave his blessings to the members of the delegation of the Catholicos of All Armenians.

Afterwards, the delegation led by the Catholicos of All Armenians had a meeting with State Secretary of the Vatican Cardinal Petro Parolin. During the conversation, the parties touched upon the situation created in the region following the 44-day war in Artsakh. In particularly, they discussed the security of the people of Artsakh, the encroachments on the sovereign territories of Armenia, as well as the preservation of Armenian religious and cultural heritage in the territories that are now under Azerbaijan’s control. In regard to overcoming of the challenges and solutions to problems, the Catholicos of All Armenians attached great importance to the role of the international community,” the press release reads.