From June 11 to June 19, 2026, the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate—with the blessing and initiative of His Excellency Archbishop Kevork Noradounguian—organized a summer camp at the “Our Lady of Narek” camp in Tsaghkadzor for 100 boys and girls aged 10 to 13 from various Armenian Catholic communities in Armenia.

The organizational work of the camp was carried out on a voluntary basis by members of the Armenian Catholic Youth Union (ACYU) and other dedicated young individuals, coordinated by Mr. Nairi Hajyan and under the responsibility of Father Hovsep Priest Galstyan. Invaluable contributions to the camp’s organization were also made by Very Reverend Father Nerses Galstyan, Archpriest of the Armenian Catholic communities in Armenia, Reverend Father Mikayel Domburyan, the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception: Sister Narine Simonyan and Sister Mariam Harutyunyan, with the gracious support of their Superior, Sister Arusyak Sajonyan, who lovingly provided the camp venue as an expression of a unified church mission.

The sports activities and games were masterfully conducted by sports coach Mr. Petros Baghdasaryan, while the singing lessons were led by music teacher Makrouhi Khachaturyan.

Purpose and Philosophy of the Camp

The purpose of the camp was to organize a wholesome and fulfilling rest period for the children, promoting their best interests. This vision stems from the Gospel mandates of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church regarding the integral development of the human person, and the provisions of international legal instruments on the protection of the rights of the child.

A fulfilling rest period for a child implies not only free leisure time, but also active physical recreation and the organization of courses and discussions aimed at developing spiritual and moral character, as well as social skills. This was all done within an atmosphere of community love and communion, consciously excluding the negative influences that children often encounter in daily life.

A Vibrant Program of Faith and Activities

The days of the summer camp were filled with prayer, daily participation in the Holy Mass and educational courses. These were held in the format of discussions and age-appropriate seminars covering themes such as: Christian education and faith, Environmental protection, Social relationships and communication, Leadership and initiative, Financial/material resource management, Healthy lifestyle choices, Disaster management, active games, competitions, sports days, and intellectual games filled the rest of their time, creating a harmonious balance between recreation and personal development. Throughout the eight days, actors from the “NPAK” National Center for Contemporary Experimental Art worked with the children, culminating in a joint theatrical staging of episodes from the Paschal Mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ.

June 13 (Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary): The campers held a unified Rosary procession to the cross standing at the highest point of the campsite.

June 18: The Holy Sacrament of Baptism was administered to three children. On the same day, the beloved singer Arkadi Doumikyan, along with his brother, visited the camp at the invitation of the Very Reverend Father Nerses Galstyan, bringing great joy to the campers with their presence and beautiful songs.

His Excellency Archbishop Kevork Noradounguian constantly brightened the camp with his presence, and the campers deeply cherished his fatherly sermons and guidance—lessons intended to last a lifetime.

Fr. Hovsep Priest Galstyan

Chancery of the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate

June 22, 2026