Artsakh

The Armenian Apostolic Church has said that Pope Leo XIV and Catholicos Aram I discussed the possibility of convening a “Third Vatican Council” during a private meeting at the Vatican focused on Christian unity, Artsakh and the Middle East The idea of convening a “Third Vatican Council” was discussed during a private meeting between Pope Leo XIV and Catholicos Aram I at the Vatican. The meeting took place on May 18 and focused on Christian unity, the plight of displaced Armenians from Artsakh, the continuing detention of Armenian prisoners in Baku and the situation in Lebanon. While the Vatican’s own account of the audience made no mention of a council, a statement released by the Armenian Apostolic Church said the two Church leaders discussed “the establishment of a common date for Easter, a day of commemoration for all martyrs, and the convening of a Third Vatican Council”. According to the statement, Aram I stressed the “urgent necessity” of such initiatives for the life of the “universal Christian Church”. The Armenian Church added that Pope Leo XIV expressed “understanding and support” concerning the issues raised during the meeting. No details were given about what form a Third Vatican Council might take or whether it would involve only the Catholic Church or a wider ecumenical gathering of Christian Churches. The Second Vatican Council, convened by Pope John XXIII in 1962 and concluded under Pope Paul VI in 1965, remains the most recent ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Speculation about a future council has surfaced periodically in recent decades, though no pope has publicly advanced plans for another ecumenical council. The proposal emerged during a broader conversation between Leo XIV and Aram I concerning the condition of Christians in the Middle East and relations between Churches. According to the Armenian statement, Aram I also raised the issue of Artsakh and the right of displaced Armenians to return “under international guarantees”. He further stressed the need to protect Armenian churches and historical monuments in accordance with international law. The Catholicos additionally referred to the continuing detention of former Artsakh officials and political leaders held in Baku, saying their release remained an urgent matter. The meeting also addressed Lebanon, where Aram I underlined the importance of preserving the sovereignty of the Lebanese state and ensuring the authority of the government throughout the country. He also spoke of the importance of Israel withdrawing from southern Lebanon and respecting existing ceasefire agreements. The Armenian statement said the two Church leaders also discussed ecumenical relations and the future direction of inter-Church dialogue. Aram I emphasised that alongside theological discussions, “moral and ethical issues” should occupy a greater place within ecumenical cooperation and international Christian initiatives. The Vatican has sought closer ties with the Oriental Orthodox Churches since the Second Vatican Council, with relations between Rome and the Armenian Apostolic Church improving markedly during the pontificates of Pope St John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. Pope Francis maintained warm relations with Armenian Christian leaders and frequently referred to the suffering of Armenian Christians in the Middle East. In 2015 he described the mass killing of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire as “the first genocide of the 20th century”. Aram I, who has led the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia since 1995, has long been active in ecumenical affairs and previously served as moderator of the World Council of Churches.