Monsignor Vartan W. Boghossian, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Gregory of Narek of Buenos-Aires and Apostolic Bishop for Latin America, met Pope Francis in Chile during the latter’s visit to the North American country in mid-January, Diario Armenia reports.

In Chile, Mgr Boghossian managed to arrange for some of the Armenian faithful to attend venues where the pontiff delivered remarks. Several of them even managed to wave the Armenian flag on television and express their joy and appreciation for the pope’s visit.

Pope Francis served a Holy Mass for the victims of the Armenian Genocide in St. Peter’s Basilica in 2015 and visited Armenia the next year.

Mgr Boghossian, who also serves as the Bishop of Chile for Catholic Armenians, managed to meet Francis and bring him the greeting and gratitude of the Armenian Community of Chile, receiving his blessing in return.

Before returning to Buenos Aires, the Catholic Armenian leader participated in the meetings of Pope Francis with the youth of Chile, the priests, deacons, clergy members and seminarians at the Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral.

Pope Francis has arrived in Chile on January 16. The highlight of Francis’ visit was an open-air Mass in the capital Santiago. The Pope also met victims of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.