Msgr. Kevork Noradounguian Appointed New Ordinary for Armenian Catholics in Eastern Europe
Գևորգ եպիսկոպոս Նորադունգյանը նշանակվել է Արևելյան Եվրոպայի հայ կաթոլիկների նոր շարքային; Կառլո Կոպպոլայի հոդված.
The Holy Father, Papa Francesco, has appointed as ordinary of the Ordinariate for the Armenian Catholics of Eastern Europe the Reverend Archpriest Kevork Noradounguian, of the Institute of the Patriarchal Clergy of Bzommar, until now patriarchal vicar of the same Institute and superior of the Convent of Our Lady of Bzommar, assigning him the archiepiscopal see of Sebaste of the Armenians, with the title of archbishop.
Msgr. Kevork Noradounguian was born in Aleppo, Syria, on 16 November 1968. In 1997 he obtained a licentiate in educational sciences from the Pontifical Salesian University.
On 20 August 1995 he was ordained a priest in Aleppo for the Institute of the Patriarchal Clergy of Bzommar. He has held the following positions: vice-rector of the minor seminary (1997-1998), assistant parish priest in Bourj Hammoud (1998-1999), rector of the minor seminary (1999-2001), rector of the minor and major seminary (2001-2007), administrator and general bursar of the Institute (2003-2007), parish priest of the Armenian Catholic community in Moscow (2007-2010), rector of the church of St. Nicola of Tolentino and rector of the Pontifical Armenian College in Rome (2010-2015), apostolic administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Jerusalem and Amman (2013-2015), and parish priest of the Armenian Catholics in Lyon, France (2015-2023).
In August 2023, he was transferred from France to Lebanon, where he is currently Patriarchal Vicar of the Institute of the Patriarchal Clergy of Bzommar and Superior of the Convent of Our Lady of Bzommar.
His Excellency Mgr. Noradounguian succeeds Mgr. Raphaël François Minassian, who had held the position from 24 June 2011 to 23 September 2021, the date on which the latter was elected Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians. After a few months in which the Ordinariate of Armenian Catholics of Eastern Europe had been officially "Sede vacante", the Reverend Mikael Bassalé, of the same Patriarchal clergy, had been appointed apostolic administrator on May 17, 2022.
We have the honor of knowing personally His Excellency Monsignor Kevork Noradounguian of whom we can testify not only the spirit of a father and faithful devoted servant of the Armenian Church. However, we know his attitude as a follower of Saint Giovanni Bosco, in the formation of the young Seminarians of the Pontifical Armenian College of Rome, in the education of catechumens and in his attention to families. His Excellency celebrated the feast of San Biagio in Casal di Principe, in the province of Caserta, for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015, accompanied by his seminarians from the Pontifical Armenian College (Levonian), first among all the Vice Rector, His Excellency Monsignor Krikor Badichah, now Titular Bishop of Artvin of the Armenians.
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