The Ordinary of Armenian Catholics in Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Eastern Europe, Archbishop Gevorg Noradounkian, served the Divine Liturgy of the Epiphany on January 6, 2025, for the Armenian Catholic community of Moscow, at the Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The accompanying assistants of the Ordinary were the Parish of the Armenian Catholics of Moscow and the surrounding regions, Reverend Father Petros Yesayan, and the Salesian friar Reverend Father Petros Petrosyan. Also present at the Divine Liturgy were the high-ranking Latin Catholic clergy of Moscow: Kirill Gorbunov, Vicar General of the Moscow Patriarchate, and Vasily Vaida, the Parish of the Greek Catholics of Moscow.

During his sermon, His Excellency first greeted the Latin spiritual fathers, then expressed his appreciation to Most Reverend Fr. Petros Yesayan, for his active pastoral work and reminded with satisfaction his joint pastoral work with the Most Reverend Fr. Petros Petrosyan, in Russia, when he served as the Parish of Moscow many years ago.

His Excellency invited the faithful to focus on the episodes of the Gospel story, especially the visit of the Magi, Herod’s cunning plot to kill the newborn Child. Christians encounter various traps at every turn today, but the voice of Heaven also does not cease to speak in humanity today. How can we recognize that divine voice in the 21st century? Whom should we follow to avoid being misled?

“Who serves as today’s guiding star? People dedicated to the service of our souls, priests and nuns who continue to respond with their lives and proclaim to humanity, Emmanuel, and this means that God is with us”.

His Excellency invited us to reflect on the importance of always having the Child Jesus and Mary in our hearts, so that as the festive days come to an end, we do not lose the awareness of Their presence.

“When you throw your holiday decorations in the trash, be careful not to dismiss the baby Jesus with His Mother, Joseph and the angels… They must live in your hearts, Jesus must reign in your life until January 6th next year. This can make a big difference in our daily lives, I assure you. The saints who lived like this had different dreams, and spoke a different language, the language of peace, reconciliation,  and unity”.

After celebrating the Holy Mass and the spiritual blessing of water, His Excellency Archbishop Gevorg Noradounkian also met with the faithful and had a spiritual conversation with them.

Later, in the evening, His Excellency along with the Reverend Father Petros Yesayan, attended the Epiphany festive prayer services held at the Cathedral of the Holy Savior of Moscow of the Russian  Orthodox Church, which were presided over by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. After the Divine Liturgy, they also participated in a joint dinner, during which the Ordinary had an introductory conversation with Patriarch Kirill, expressing his fraternal greetings on the occasion of the Epiphany, and also conveying the warm greetings and best wishes from the Armenian Catholic Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia.

Secretariat of the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate

Translated by Ulyana Kostanyan