On the 22^th of April, 2025, H.E. Kevork Archbishop Noradounguian celebrated Holy Mass for the soul of Pope Francis in the Cathedral of Holy Martyrs, in Gyumri, with the assistance of Rev. Fr. Mikayel Khachkalyan and Rev. Fr. Nerses Galstyan, the concelebration of other priests and the participation of the Armenian sisters of Immaculate Conception.

In his homily, H.E. Noradounguian spoke about the special closeness of the Holy Father to the Armenian people:

“Pope Francis’ papacy was enriched with a special colour of closeness with the Armenian people in their suffering, wounds, hopes and expectations”.

That closeness started even during his servise as a Jesuit priest and afterwards as Archbishop and Cardinal. Close relations with Armenians made it possible for Fr. Bergoglio to acquire a clear understanding of Armenian Genocide, a concept, which became a point of reference for him, during his papacy as well to not stop repeating that word against all the advice of the officials of the Holy See about diplomatic precauitions. H.E. Noradounguian is well aware of the close relations of Pope Francis with H.E. Vardan Poghosyan, the Bishop of the Armenian Catholic community of Latin America at that time and also with the Bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which paved the way to the installation of a memorial Khachqar beside the Cathedral Church of Buenos Aires, commemorating the Armenian Genocide. With this belief, on 12^th of April, 2016, Pope Francis spoke about the Armenian Genocide as the “first genocide of the 20^th century”, in St. Peter’s Cathedral, in Rome, citing the words of another saintly pope, who loved Armenian people, St. John Paul 2^nd.

H.E. Noradounguian also spoke about the endeavors of Pope Francis to the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. These convince us, that Pope Francis has always stood by the Armenian people as a father.

“If he could speak today, I think we would say to us: ‘Do not be discouraged, do not lose your hope, power never wins, weakness always wins, the one who accepts death in good consciousness, wins, and conquering death opens new horizons for life’”.

The Armenian rite of peace for the souls of the deceased was also carried out after the Mass. In these coming days, including the official novena, Holy Masses will be served in all of the communities of the Ordinariate for the soul of the departed Holy Father.

Fr. Hovsep Galstyan

Secretariat of the Ordinariate of Armenian Catholics

23^th April, 2025