On May 19, 2025, H.E. Kevork Archbishop Noradounguian participated in the reception of H.E. Msgr. Pascal Gollnisch, General Director of l’Oeuvre d’Orient. Mr. Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Rector of Yerevan State University, awarded Monsignor Gollnisch the degree of “Honorary Doctor of YSU”, for the great work he has accomplished for the University and for all of Armenia, as Rector put it. “You are a great Armenophile”, said Rector Hovhannisiyan. Present at the reception were also H.E. Andranik Ayvazyan, Bishop of Jezireh, Syria, and H.E. Anoushavan Jamkochyan, Deacon of the Faculty of Theology of YSU.

The same day, Msgr. Pascal Gollnisch was donated by Mr. Olivier Decottignies, Ambassador of France in Armenia, with a plug, made to stop artillery, symbolizing the 40-day heroic fight of Armenian people on the mount Musa Dag in 1915.

Msgr. Golnisch, with the accompaniment of H.E. Noradounguian also visited the memorial of Tsitsernakaberd and dedicated flowers to the memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide, also planted a tree, symbolizing prayers of himself and l’Ouvre d’Orient.

In the evening, Msgr. Pascal Gollnisch was hosted by H.E. Kevork Noradounguian in the Ordinariate premises of Yerevan, where they had a talk about the collaboration between the Ordinariate and l’Oeuvre d’Orient, analyzing and evaluating the mutual work of long period, which has had an immense impact on the spiritual, educational and social development of the communities of the Ordinariate. They also talked about the present and future projects, as well as the possibility of their enhancement. l’Oeuvre d’Orient, which was founded by the Catholic Church back in 1856, implements various charitable projects for the Christians of Eastern countries, has been one of the main donors of the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate during these 33 years. H.E. Noradounguian expressed his deep gratitude for all the assistance, which l’Oeuvre d’Orient has provided so far.

Fr. Hovsep Galstyan

Secretariat of the Ordinariate

May 20, 2025