Italy’s reputable La Stampa newspaper has covered the unveiling of the 2 meter bronze statue of Gregory of Narek to be unveiled at the Vatican on April 5. As reported Armenpress, La Stampa writes that the unveiling of the statue will be attended by Pope Francis I.

La Stampa mentions that President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan will arrive at the Vatican to participate in the unveiling and will be received by the Pope in the morning of that day. Later, the Pope will also receive His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.

The newspaper emphasizes the fact that the placement of the statue of Saint Gregory of Narek in the heart of the Vatican was the wish of President Sargsyan expressed when pope Francis visited Armenia (“the first Christian nation”) in June 2016. During the visit, the President of Armenia had presented a layout of the statue of Gregory of Narek to the Pope as a gift and as a sign of gratitude for granting the title of Universal Doctor to Gregory of Narek in 2015.

La Stampa also wrote that, as Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Vatican Mikael Minasyan reported on his Facebook page, the sculptor of the to-be-placed statue is the same architect who authored the layout of the statue presented to the Pope as a gift.

The statue of Gregory of Narek is sculpted by Davit Yerevantsi.