85th election process Turkey’s Armenian Patriarch continues. The election, which will take place on December 11, consists of two stages. On Sunday (8 December), the delegates of the patriarchal candidates will be elected by the people who will vote in the ballot boxes established in the churches. On Wednesday, December 11, selected 103 civilian delegated and 17 members of clergy will do another voting in the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey and will elect the 85th Patriarch. 3 candidates can participate in the election. Archbishop Karekin Bekjian, Archbishop Aram Atesyan and Patriarchal Locum Tenens Bishop Sahak Mashalian. So far, Ateshian and Mashalyan have announced their candidacy while Bekjiyan, who is expected to join from Germany, has not yet made a statement.
Archbishop Atesyan, who organized public meetings, met with his delegates at Point Hotel on 16 October.
Bishop Mashalyan, who has not yet announced his delegates, tries to answer the questions of the whole Armenian community through public meetings. On the evening of 17th October, Bishop Sahak Masalyan, who came to the meeting held in Nazar Sirinoglu Hall of Ferikoy Church, was greeted with flowers given by the young people. Bishop Mashalyan entered the hall filled with 450 people with applause. Like in all of his meetings, Bishop Mashalyan started his speech with Our Father in Heaven prayer where all the attendees sang in Armenian. Bishop Mashalyan stated that he will organize such meetings in other parishes and he will announce the nominees for delegates in the near future.
