12 December 2014. On Friday evening, during an official banquet organized in honour of His Holiness Aram I, the Catholicos praised the Armenian community in Abu Dhabi for the construction of the church compound, and he acknowledged its benefactors. He decorated Messrs Ara Khanoyan and Souren Kojakian with the insignia of “Cilicia Knight” and he announced that he will soon honour and decorate Mr Krikor Mahseredjian for his many years of service to the community in Abu Dhabi and for his contribution to the construction project; the Catholicos also thanked Messrs Hrayer Soghomonian and Varoujan Narguizian.

He then expressed his deep appreciation to Ambassador Kegham Gharibian for his gift of the cross-stone of the Martyrs Memorial and to Mr Ara Khanoyan for his gifts: the statue of St. Mesrob and the stele with the engraved Armenian alphabet.