See Pope’s Schedule for Friday-Sunday Trip
In view of the Pope’s upcoming apostolic trip to Armenia (24-26 June), the Central Church Statistics Office has published the statistics relating to the Catholic Church in the country.
Armenia has a surface area of 29,800 km2 and a population of 2,914,000 inhabitants, of whom 280,000 are Catholics, equivalent to 9.6% of the population. (The vast majority of the country (some 90%) is of the Armenian Apostolic Church.)
Related: Read text of Pope’s video message in lead-up to trip.
There is one ecclesiastical circumscription, and there are 20 parishes. There are currently three bishops, 27 priests, two men religious and 20 women religious. There are 69 seminarians.
The Church has one centre for Catholic education. With regard to charitable and social centres belonging to the Church or directed by ecclesiastics or religious, in Armenia there are 20 clinics, one hospital, five homes for the elderly or disabled, and three institutions of other types.
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Below is the Vatican released program, detailing Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to Armenia, June 24-26:
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Pope’s Program: June 24-26
Friday, June 24, 2016
09:00: Departure by plane from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport to Yerevan
15:00: Arrival at the”Zvartnots” International Airport in Yerevan
WELCOME CEREMONY at Airport
15:35: VISIT OF PRAYER AT THE APOSTOLIC CATHEDRAL in Etchmiadzin
(Greetings of the Catholicos and Holy Father)
18:00: COURTESY VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC at the Presidential Palace
18:30: MEETING with CIVIL AUTHORITIES and the Diplomatic Corps in the Presidential Palace
(Discourse of the Holy Father)
19:30: PERSONAL MEETING WITH THE CATHOLICOS in the Apostolic Palace
Saturday, June 25, 2016:
08:45: VISIT TO THE TZITZERNAKABERD MEMORIAL COMPLEX
10:00: Transfer by plane to Gyumri
11:00: Holy Mass in Vartanants Square in Gyumri
(Homily of the Holy Father)
(Greeting of the Catholicos)
16:45: VISIT TO THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CATHEDRAL OF THE SEVEN PLAGUES in Gyumri
17:15: VISIT TO THE ARMENIAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL OF THE MARTYR SAINTS in Gyumri
18:00: Transfer by plane to Yerevan
19:00: ECUMENICAL MEETING AND PRAYER FOR PEACE in the Republic Square in Yerevan
(Speeches of the Catholicos and the Holy Father)
Sunday, June 26, 2016:
09:15: MEETING with ARMENIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS at the Apostolic Palace in Etchmiadzin
10:00: Participation in the Divine Liturgy in the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral
(Homily of the Catholicos) (Holy Father’s Greeting)
ECUMENICAL LUNCH with the Catholicos, archbishops and bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Bishops, and the Cardinals and Bishops of the Papal Entourage in the Apostolic Palace
15:50: MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH AND Benefactors in the Apostolic Palace
16:05: SIGNATURE OF JOINT DECLARATION in the Apostolic Palace
17:00: PRAYER in Khor Virap Monastery
18:15: FAREWELL CEREMONY at Airport
18:30: Departure by plane for Rome
20:40: Arrival at Rome / Ciampino
Time zone
Rome: UTC + 2 hours
Yerevan: UTC + 4 hours
Gyumri: UTC + 4 hours
[Program Published by the Holy See Press Office]