NSW Premier, The Hon Gladys Berejiklian hosted a luncheon at NSW Parliament House in honour of His Holiness with high-ranking parliamentarians, church leaders and representatives of Armenian organisations. The grand benefactors of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Mr and Mrs Haig and Elza Didizian, who visited Sydney specifically for the Pontifical Visit, attended all the official events on Sunday as well as the luncheon.
Following lunch, His Holiness was received by the Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral, Father Don Richardson and Bishop Richard Umbers, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney. The Catholicos toured the Cathedral and heard about its 200 year history. He offered prayers in front of the Armenian Khachkar that was installed at the entrance to the Cathedral on 18 December 2018, gifted by Mr and Mrs Stepan and Hilda Kerkyasharian on behalf of the Armenian community on the occasion of the Centennial Armenian Genocide Holy Mass commemoration held at the Cathedral in 2015.
