Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria left for Armenia on Monday on a week-long visit to take part in the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

Purported by Turkey’s former Ottoman government, the genocide saw 1.5 million Armenians systematically killed by 1915.

The Pontiff was accompanied by Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church Anba Raphael, Bishop Youannes of Social Services and Pope's Secretary Angaelus Ishaq.