Armenpress News Agency , Armenia Monday Primate of Shirak Diocese among candidates for Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul GYUMRI, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian patriarchal elections of Istanbul will be held in December, 2017, and there are already 8-9 candidates: Garegin Bekchyan, Aram Ateshyan, Sahak Mashalyan, Sepuh Chuljyan, Khajak Parsamyan, Sevan Gharibyan, Navasard Kchoyan. Primate of Shirak Diocese Bishop Mikayel Ajapahyan is also among the likely candidates for the upcoming patriarchal elections, patriarchal locum tenens Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan said while in Armenia. “Any bishop can be a candidate for any seat. In case of Turkey, the circle of those candidates is somewhat narrow since you need to have roots there, either you or your father should have been born there. In my case, my father was born there. There is a list of candidates, and all from this list can be elected. It’s not that if we are candidates, we will definitely be elected. At the moment there are 9 candidates, one from them will be elected”, Bishop Mikayel Ajapahyan told Armenpress. Commenting on the difficulties of the Istanbul’s Armenian Patriarchate, the Bishop said there are difficulties. “It’s not easy anywhere, there are difficulties, but if I am elected, I will serve”, he added. Armenuhi Mkhoyan