Armenians in Turkey are set to select their spiritual leader after Easter following the death of Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan earlier this month, Anadolu Agency reports.

The election for the 85th Armenian patriarch will be held after April 21, said Sahak Masalyan, the deputy of the late Armenian patriarch, who passed away on March 8 in Istanbul after a long illness.

"After the election, the new patriarch will be sworn in and start his duty," Masalyan, who is also a patriarch hopeful himself, said.

Late Mutafyan was elected as top religious leader of the Armenian community in Turkey in 1998.

Since 2008, Mutafyan suffered from health issues that prevented him to fulfill his duties.