Papal Nuncio Gabriel Katchea visited Tuesday, January 5, His Holiness Aram I, the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia and handed him Pope Francis's congratulatory letter on Christmas, Public Radio of Armenia reports.

At the meeting, His Holiness Aram I expressed gratitude to the Vatican and especially Pope Francis for his full support to the just cause of Armenians on the centennial of the Genocide.

Also, the parties discussed the developments in the Middle East, the rising tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. They stressed the need to prevent further escalation that could prove disastrous for the whole Middle East. Also in the focus was the domestic situation in Lebanon and the presidential elections.