Pope Francis to Visit Caucasus

Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass, in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, March 20, 2016. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA via AP)

Pope Francis will visit the three countries of Caucasus in coming months, the Vatican Press office announced on April 9.

The first visit scheduled for Armenia between June 24-26 and for Georgia and Azerbaijan in late September.

“Accepting the invitations from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the civil authorities and the Catholic Church, His Holiness Francis will visit Armenia from 24 to 26 June 2016. At the same time, accepting the invitations from His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and the civil and religious authorities of Georgia and Azerbaijan, the Holy Father will complete his apostolic trip in the Caucasus, visiting the latter two countries from 30 September to 2 October 2016,” the Vatican Press Office declared.

Azerbaijan’s military and Armenian-backed separatists clashed over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the first week of April. The available conflict wasn’t mentioned in the announcement.

Georgian officials welcome the visit which will be a second visit of a Pope since 1999 when Pope John Paul visited this country.

Georgia’s president administration stated, “The Vatican plays an important role in international relations and this is stated relations with which is particularly important for us regarding promoting Georgia in the Catholic world and supporting the non-recognition policy of the occupied regions,” Agenda.ge reported.

On the other side, Turkey might be upset with Pope’s visit to Armenia because of his previous speeches on 1915 events which he described as genocide.