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During the past 30 years, various popes have decided to include Orthodox saints in the Roman Martyrology. The martyrology is a list of all the officially recognized saints in the Roman Catholic Church.
For example, St. John Paul II included a few Orthodox saints when the Roman Martyrology was revised in 2004, and Pope Francis added St. Gregory of Narek and St. Isaac of Nineveh to the list of saints, as well as the 21 Coptic Martyrs of Libya — the group killed in 2015 by ISIS.
Most recently, Pope Leo XIV chose to include St. Nerses the Gracious in the Roman Martyrology. This was done to coincide with Pope Leo’s meeting with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, on May 18.
Of course, the earliest saints of the Orthodox Churches are the same as those of the Catholic Church, as the saints of the first centuries came before the various schisms between East and West.
Reconciliation between churches
The Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity released a statement that helps explain why St. Nerses is believed to be a saint and why his example matters in the 21st century:
Nerses Shnorhali (1102 – August 13, 1173), Catholicos of Armenia from 1166 to 1173, is recognized and venerated by the Armenian tradition as one of its greatest saints. Remembered as a pastor, theologian, poet, hymn writer, and forerunner of modern ecumenism, he received the title “Shnorhali” [“the Gracious” ed.] from his contemporaries for the irenic nature of his writings.
Furthermore, the Dicastery highlighted his example of ecumenism:
During his ministry as bishop and Catholicos, he worked for reconciliation among the Churches, especially between the Armenian Church and the Byzantine Orthodox Church. His hymns are part of the Armenian liturgy—both Apostolic and Catholic—and numerous churches are dedicated to him.
His name will be included on August 13, the date of his death in 1173.
It is hoped that this gesture will continue to build bridges between the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches, recognizing men and women of heroic virtue who share a desire that one day all Christians will be united under one Church.
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Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2026/05/20/pope-leo-adds-armenian-orthodox-saint-to-roman-calendar/
