From January 4 to 8, 2026, His Excellency Kevork Archbishop Noradounguian made pastoral visits to the Armenian Catholic communities of Russia. On January 4, he celebrated the Sunday Holy Mass for the faithful community of Sochi. On January 5, the Ordinary Archbishop celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the Eve of the Theophany and performed the rite of the Blessing of Water in Tuapse. On January 6, he celebrated the Festive Liturgy of the Theophany in the Armenian Catholic Community of Saint Gregory the Illuminator in Moscow, accompanied by the Water Blessing ceremony. On January 7, the Ordinaty celebrated Mass at the newly constructed Saint George Church in Venyov, and on January 8, in Bryansk.

During the Holy Mass celebrated in Moscow, the Archbishop, in his paternal sermon, lovingly invited the faithful to reflect first on the birth of John the Baptist, the announcement of which was given through an angel to his father, Zechariah, who was elderly and could no longer have children, as it was commonly believed. The Archbishop invited everyone to pay attention to that unexpected, surprising news and unanticipated joy:

“In the same manner, it was an unexpected joy for Mary when Gabriel brought her the tidings of the birth of Jesus—Emmanuel. We rejoice during this feast, remembering these Gospel events, but others wonder what there is to rejoice about, when at that time Mary was afraid, Zechariah was afraid, and Joseph was afraid. The angel comforted Mary and Joseph, saying that what was conceived was from the Holy Spirit. Jesus was born in the poorest conditions, despised by humanity, yet we rejoice in His birth. When the magi came from the East to worship Jesus, the inhabitants of Jerusalem were afraid, because the malicious Herod received this good news with jealousy—a man who had killed his own biological children to preserve his throne. It was in these terrifying conditions that Jesus was born, yet we rejoice today. This is a profound mystery, and to understand it, we must mentally penetrate into its depths. Today we must ask ourselves whether we receive the tiding of the Nativity of Jesus with fear, and what kind of fears we possess. Can we transition from our fears into full joy?”

The Archbishop also invited the faithful to meditate upon the Baptism of Jesus, which we celebrate together with the Feast of the Theophany:

“The baptism of Jesus is strange at first glance; the innocent one asks to be baptized by the hand of John the Baptist. John does not want to allow this, saying that he himself needs to be baptized by Jesus’ hand, but the Lord prevents him, asking him to fulfill ‘all righteousness of God.’ Thus, the innocent one was baptized and took upon Himself the sin of the world, immersing Himself into the Jordan, which carried within it the sin of humanity, symbolizing the future sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, which He was to perform three years later to make us innocent like Him.”

It was the first time that the Ordinary visited Bryansk. During the Mass, which he celebrated at the Armenian Catholic Church of Our Lady of Untiring Help, concelebrated alongside Rev. Fr. Sedrak Khitaryan, Fr. Alexander, the pastor of the local Latin-rite Catholic community, was also present. He expressed his gratitude and joy to His Excellency on the occasion of his first pastoral visit, stating: “This is a great event for us, one that we will always remember.”

Following the prayer services, the Ordinary met with the faithful of the communities and also visited several families, engaging in warm conversations and assuring each believer of his closeness and heartfelt compassion as a father and shepherd.

Fr. Hovsep Galstyan

Chancellery of the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate

January 8, 2026