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On November 5 the RA NA President Galust Sahakyan received the Head of the Czech Catholic Church, Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Dominik Duka.

Welcoming Cardinal Dominik Duka in the National Assembly, Galust Sahakyan noted: “I am well aware of your activities, by which you promote the strengthening of the Christian faith, the spiritual-moral values, the preservation and dissemination of the cultural heritage, as well as the establishment of peace and consolidation in the world.

We highly assess the development of the relations between Armenia and the Czech Republic in all directions, and in this context we highlight the cooperation of the churches.”

The NA President expressed his gratitude to the Cardinal for his attitude towards the Armenian people and the Armenian Apostolic Church, as well as for his efforts, due to which the first Armenian khachkar /cross-stone/ will be erected in the centre of Prague, and the Cardinal also took part in the order of the ceremony.

Galust Sahakyan highly assessed Cardinal Duka’s efforts in fulfilling the wish of the Armenians of Prague: due to his efforts the Surp Hogi/Holy Spirit Church in the centre of Prague was given to the parish community of Surp Grigor Lusavorich/Saint Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church on October 11, 2015.

The RA NA President expressed his concern over the situation in the Near East and noted that the countries of this region, where Christians had lived through centuries, are in crisis today.

Galust Sahakyan considered the explosion of Surp Nahatakats/Saint Martyrs Church of Deir Ez-Zor, the destruction of the centuries-old khachkars of Jugha in Nakhijevan the logical continuation of the destruction of dozens of thousands of Christian monuments in the territory of Turkey.

Touching upon Cardinal Dominik Duka’s participation in the April 24 events, the President of the National Assembly has stated that the presence of the officials, who arrived in Armenia from the whole world, is the vivid evidence of the selfless devotion to all-human values.

Summing up his word, Galust Sahakyan expressed hope that the day will come, when our region will live in peace, the all-human values will be crucial in the inter-state relations, and our peoples will build houses, parks and churches instead of making war.

Thanking for the warm reception, the Head of the Czech Catholic Church Dominik Duka has noted that the relations with the Armenian people and the Armenian Church should be taken back to the period of the Apostles and we should cooperate as Christian nations. The Cardinal emphasized his visit to the parliament of the most ancient Christian people of the world. Referring to the Armenian people’s cultural rich heritage, Cardinal Duka has noted that there are also many wonderful works by the Armenian artists in the Dominican monasteries, which should be shown to the world.

Talking about Prague with multi-national and cultural rich heritage, the Head of the Czech Catholic Church documented that it was Franz Werfel, the resident of Prague, first to voice about the Armenian Genocide, drawing the attention of the world to it.