On June 24, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Austria, in association with Austria’s Cercle Diplomatique (Diplomatic Circle) periodical, organized the visit of the heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Vienna to the Mekhitarist Congregation. The visit was devoted to Pope Francis’s June 24-26 visit to Armenia, as reported the press service of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Among the participants were Ambassadors accredited to Austria, permanent representatives to the OSCE and other international organizations in Vienna, as well as employees of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of academic circles.

In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Austria, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the OSCE and other international organizations of Vienna Arman Kirakossian presented the symbol of the day and briefly touched upon the history of the Mekhitarist Congregation, which forms an integral part of Armenian culture. Kirakossian also presented the history of the 300-year-old monastery and the cooperation between the Austrian government and the Armenian monks of the imperial Habsburg family, as well as Armenian printing and the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage. The Ambassador expressed gratitude to the Cercle Diplomatique for helping organize the visit of the diplomats.

With the accompaniment and commentaries of one of the monks of the Mekhitarist Congregation, Father Vahan Hovakimyan, the visitors toured the congregation and were introduced to the museum, the rich collections of items gathered and preserved by the monks for centuries, as well as the world famous library.