Pope Francis appoints new Ordinary for Armenians in Eastern Europe

The Press Office of the Holy See made public this Wednesday the appointment of the new Ordinary for the Armenian Catholics of Eastern Europe of Archpriest Kevork Noradoungian, to whom it has assigned the title of Archbishop of Sebaste of the Armenians.

Until now, Bishop Noradoungian served as patriarchal vicar of the Bzommar Clergy Institute and superior of the Convent of Our Lady of Bzommar (Lebanon).

Born in Aleppo (Syria) on November 16, 1968, he obtained a Licentiate in Educational Sciences from the Pontifical Salesian University of Rome in 1997. Two years earlier he was ordained a priest in Aleppo by the Institute of the Patriarchal Clergy of Bzommar.

Throughout his pastoral service, the new archbishop has served as rector of the Minor and Major Seminary, administrator and general treasurer of the Institute, parish priest of the Armenian Catholic community of Moscow, rector of the church of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino and Rector of the Pontifical Armenian College of Urbe, apostolic administrator at the behest of the Holy See (at the disposal of the Holy See) of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem and Amman and parish priest of the Catholic Armenians of Lyon (France).

What is the Armenian Catholic Church?

The Armenian Catholic Church is one of 24 particular churches in communion with Rome that follows the Armenian liturgy and is organized as a patriarchal church under the authority of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.

The origins of the Catholic Church in Armenia date back to the preaching of Saint Jude Thaddeus and Saint Bartholomew in the 1st century, which crystallized with the action of Saint Gregory in the 4th century.

It has been formally united to Rome since 1742 and its faithful are present in different countries such as Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Egypt.