On the occasion of the Vatican visit of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, the Vatican officially and publicly announced its decision to include St. Nerses Shnorhali among the saints commemorated by the Catholic Church. In accordance with this decision, August 13 has been designated as the commemorative day of St. Nerses Shnorhali.
St. Nerses Shnorhali is widely recognized as a distinguished theologian and a leading figure in inter-church relations and ecumenical dialogue.
It should be noted that in his official message welcoming His Holiness Aram I, Pope Leo XIV referred to St. Nerses Shnorhali as a pioneer of ecumenism. “St. Nerses Shnorhali was recently included in the Roman Catholic Martyrology. This stands as a new example of the universality of the saints, which already unites our Churches,” Pope Leo declared.
Furthermore, during the public gathering held in St. Peter’s Square, attended also by Catholicos Aram I and his delegation, Pope Leo stated in his greeting address: “Together let us invoke the intercession of St. Gregory the Illuminator, St. Gregory of Nareg, St. Nerses Shnorhali, and above all, the Holy Virgin Mary.”
During the meetings of Catholicos Aram I with cardinals heading various Vatican dicasteries, reference was also made to this historic decision of the Catholic Church. His Holiness Aram I expressed his profound gratitude and appreciation for the recognition St. Nerses Shnorhali among the saints of the Catholic Church.
It is important to note that years ago, His Holiness Aram I published in English a scholarly work entitled ST. NERSES THE GRACIOUS AND CHURCH UNITY, dedicated to the theology and ecumenical vision of St. Nerses Shnorhali. The volume was originally presented as his Master’s thesis.
Before leaving the Vatican, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I made the following statement:
“As I come to conclude my visitation program to the Vatican, I would like to express my warm thanks and profound gratitude to His Holiness for granting me a private audience, which gave us the opportunity to exchange perspectives and concerns pertaining to issues of a common nature. My special thanks are also due to His Eminences Cardinal Parolin, Cardinal Koch, Cardinal Gugerotti, and Cardinal Koovakad for the interesting and fruitful discussions that we had regarding ecumenical and inter-religious matters as well as issues related to Lebanon, Artsakh, and the Middle East.
The core of our discussions was how we can enhance and expand our bilateral relations and collaboration. It is important by looking backward to remind ourselves of our long-standing relations; it is equally important to look forward to exploring together new ways of collaboration, and that is how we can move forward in our common ecumenical journey.
Holy See of Cilicia, with its spirit of openness, broadmindedness, and dialogue, has always been ecumenical. Ecumenism is no longer an option in the world today; it is a must. Likewise, intra-religious dialogue is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. With this spirit and commitment, we will continue our ecumenical journey considering the visible unity of the church, the ultimate goal of the ecumenical movement, and peaceful and coherent co-existence among religions, the very purpose of inter-faith dialogue and collaboration.”
The Vatican
20 May 2026
