ELECTIONS DATE OF CO-RULER OF ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE NOT KNOWN

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.02.2010 16:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The date for elections of co-ruler of Armenian
Patriarch of Constantinople is not yet decided, bishop Sahak Mashalian
told a news conference in Yerevan jointly held with Turkologist Tiran
Lokmagozyan. According to him, the elections date is not scheduled
since the permission by Turkish Ministry of Interior has not yet
received.

"As soon as the permission received, the Armenian community will set
a date for elections," the bishop said.

According to him, elections are delayed due to contradictions over
this matter.

"We contacted Religious Committee asking for elections of the Armenian
Patriarch of Constantinople and received a positive response. In
turn, Mundane Committee which was formed to organize the elections,
applied with a new statement to get permission to hold the elections
of the Patriarch," the bishop Sahak Mashalian said.

He recalled that the patriarch is elected for life, and nobody can
replace him until he dies or renounces the throne. Since patriarch
Mesrob Mutafyan is sick, he cannot make such a decision. "So, by
relinquishing his title the Archbishop will not serve to his flock,"
the bishop said. Instead, a newly elected co-ruler of the Patriarch of
Constantinople, in fact, will have the overall authority of Archbishop,
but cannot be named the 85th Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople
until Mesrob Mutafyan is alive.

The Turkish government can resolve that issue in following ways: a new
patriarch is elected, or co-ruler of the Patriarch of Constantinople
is elected, or the election are not taking place until the parties do
not reach a single decision. "Priests support elections of co-ruler
of the Patriarch," the bishop Sahak Mashalyan said.

The Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople also known as Armenian
Patriarch of Istanbul is today head of The Armenian Patriarchate
of Constantinople (also Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul) has
exerted a very significant political role and today still exercises
a spiritual authority, which earns him considerable respect among
Oriental Orthodox churches.

The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople recognizes the primacy
of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, in the
spiritual and administrative headquarters of the Armenian Church, the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia,
in matters that pertain to the worldwide Armenian Church. In local
matters, the Patriarchal See is autonomous.