In a January 1958 diplomatic report Marcus Cheke, UK Ambassador to the Holy See, wrote that Agagianian "believes that the best thing for the Western powers to do is to hang on, avoid war (and the more strongly armed and united they are, the less danger there is of Russia venturing on a war) and to wait for a transformation inside Russia, which he thinks will happen sooner or later." Agagianian called for a "heroically Christian" struggle against communism during his visit to Australia in 1959. Agagianian opposed the repatriation of Armenian Catholics from the Middle East to Soviet Armenia in 1946. He noted that there was an intolerant environment in the Soviet Union towards religion and argued that "We [Armenian Catholics] are forced to remain as emigrants to preserve our church and faith." Reception in the Soviet Union Agagianian's statements regarding repatriation of Armenians were received as defamation and hostile in the Soviet-controlled homeland. In the early 1950s, Etchmiadzin, the Soviet-based official publication of the Armenian Apostolic Church, published articles severely criticizing Agagianian. One article claimed that he was created cardinal in order to "damage the unity" and "disunite" the Armenian people. It also argued that Agagianian also held the "key to submitting the Oriental Orthodox churches of the Middle East (Coptic, Assyrian, Ethiopian, etc.) to the Catholic Church." In another article, Agagianian was accused in "seek[ing] to bring Armenian believers under the control of the Vatican" and make them "anti-national [...] without an ideal and dignity [....] in short, a cosmopolitan crowd, which will serve the Turkish-American war machine." After Stalin's death, relations improved. When Agagianian died, Vazgen I, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, sent Pope Paul VI a letter mourning his death. Retirement and death Agagianian effectively retired when he resigned as prefect on October 19, 1970, and was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano on October 22. Agagianian died of cancer in Rome on May 16, 1971. Pope Paul VI called him a "noble figure" upon Agagianian's death. His funeral took place on May 21 at St. Peter's Basilica. He was buried in Rome's San Nicola da Tolentino Armenian church. A monument to Agagianian has been erected inside the church, flanked by the virgin martyr Hripsime and St. Vartan. Personal life Agagianian was tall and had a slender frame. Since Agagianian spent much of his adult life in Rome, he was "Romanized" and