Pope Francis arrived in Armenia's
capital on Friday for a three-day apostolic visit to the "first
Christian country", the 14th international trip of his
pontificate.
The visit will focus on consolidating relations with the
Armenian Apostolic Church and encouraging the local minority
Catholic Church, as well as recognition and support of Christian
"martyrs" killed in persecution and massacres such as that of
the Ottoman government in the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
Pope Francis's willingness to use the term genocide has
created tension with Turkey, which refuses to use the term
genocide to describe the event.
Pope Francis will meet on Friday with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan at the presidential palace in Yerevan and give a
speech.
He will then meet with the Oriental Orthodox patriarch of
the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, at the apostolic
palace in Etchmiadzin, where he will be staying during his
visit.
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