On June 24, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians received world chess champion, chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, who is in Armenia at the invitation of the Initiatives for Development of Armenia Foundation and Acronis Company, and world cup winner, grandmaster Levon Aronyan at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Welcoming the chess players’ visit, the Catholicos of All Armenians underlined the fact that the visit of the world ches champion to Armenia will be very exciting for chess lovers. His Holiness mentioned with satisfaction that chess has been popular in Armenia since the early Middle Age and is very common these days and is even a subject in the school curriculum, contributing to the development of children’s thinking abilities.

During the conversation, His Holiness informed that the crown and cape that world chess champion Tigran Petrosyan had donated to the late Catholicos Vazgen I are stored at the museum of the Mother See.

Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronyan expressed gratitude for the reception and shared their impressions of the visit to Tatev Monastery. In Tatev they had the opportunity to play chess with the clergymen, as well as with the children of the Halidzor and Tatev communities.

During the meeting, the sides also reflected on the important role of the Armenian Church in the lives of Armenians, the difficulties that it has faced throughout history and the actions of the Church aimed at accomplishing the mission.

In the end, the Supreme Patriarch gave his blessing to the chess players, wishing them more success and urging them to set a good example to make it clear that a chess tournament can contribute to peace, the strengthening of friendship between nations and coexistence in solidarity, reports the information office of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to “Hayern Aysor”.