ArmInfo. The Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church expresses its concern over the current situation in the Constantinople Diocese of the AAC regarding the election of its leader.
The Spiritual Council urged the leaders of the Diocese of Constantinople to show restraint in the current difficult situation and to rise above their own ambitions for the benefit of the Armenian community of Turkey. The Council also called on spiritual leaders of the diocese, authoritative representatives of the Armenian community of Turkey to make efforts in recognition of the head of the Diocese of Constantinople, Archbishop Mesrop Mutafyan, suffering a protracted, serious illness, incompetent and lawful conduct of the election of the new patriarch.
In addition, the Spiritual Council called on the Turkish authorities to meet with the Armenian community and its legitimate demand for the election of a new patriarch. The statement also calls on the entire Armenian nation not to show unnecessary emotions and patiently follow the developments in the Constantinople Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Note that as a result of a protracted illness of the patriarch of the Constantinople diocese Mesrop Mutafyan, his locum tenens were appointed Aram Ateshyan. However, on June 28, 2017, Ateshian was removed from the post of viceroy of the Constantinople Patriarchate of the Armenian Apostolic Church, because his views on issues of concern to the Armenian community of Turkey, in particular, the issue of the Armenian Genocide, were at variance with the position of the community. Following the results of the new elections, Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan was elected a temporary locum tenens. However, the Turkish authorities did not recognize Bechchyan as their leader and again returned this post to Ateshyan, and Bechchyan left Turkey.