Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is expecting the Turkish authorities to meet the just demand of the Armenian community to organize patriarchal elections.

The Turkish government is openly intervening in the selection of a new Armenian Patriarch to lead the nation’s largest Christian community.

The current Patriarch, Mesrob II Mutafyan, was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and is no longer able to carry out his duties. The Armenian community is now in the process of electing a new religious leader.

The Turkish state, however, argued that under Armenian Church traditions a new Patriarch can be elected if Mesrob II either dies or resigns.

At a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council chaired by the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, the Armenian Church expressed concern over “the undesirable developments in the life of Turkish Armenians.”

Also, the Mother See called for sobriety among top clerics like Archbishop Karekin Bekdjian, Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, bishop Sahak Mashalyan, urging them to prioritize the interest of the Constantinople Patriarchate over their personal aspirations and interpersonal relationships.