Palestinian minister of state for foreign affairs and expatriates, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian Shāhīn, praised Pope Francis, describing him as one of the greatest symbols of the nation who was truly committed to the cause of justice worldwide. She said, "In these difficult and unprecedented circumstances, filled with all the hardships and massacres that Palestinians in Palestine are facing, we have lost one of the greatest symbols of our nation." She continued, "In Palestine, we had the honor of his visit to Bethlehem in 2015, and we were deeply moved by his prayers for justice and peace in the Holy Land standing beside the apartheid wall surrounding occupied Jerusalem."